Your body is a wonderland
by hilja
Summary: He has never dreamed anything like that before, but what is that sticky mess on his sheets? Starts off when Jacob has his first wet dream. Jacob getting sex ed from Billy, later from his friends and eventually a certain she-wolf.
1. Chapter 1

**SEXUAL EDUCATION  
**

When he wakes he has the strangest feeling. He remembers the dream very vividly, it was a dream filled with wonder. He has never dreamed anything like that before. It was...he searches for the word, but can't think of any to describe it.

He remembers long silky black hair and his hands running through it, a familiar happy laughter that made him tingle all over and rolling over a body much softer than anything he has ever touched before. _Leah Clearwater_. He feels like he has been tickled and has laughed so hard he is completely exhausted and feeling so good and happy, it's like floating. He feels strangely fulfilled.

"Jacob!" It's his dad sticking his head into the room, interrupting his efforts to catch hold of the fleeting dream.

"Time to get up!"

Jacob grumbles, but does as he is told, and that is when he feels it, and sees it.

There is a sticky mess in his boxers and even on his sheets. He doesn't understand what it is. Has he peed in his pants? But no, pee doesn't look or feel like this. Is it glue? Or is it the hair wax his sisters bought for him a while a go?

Why is there hair wax in his boxers? And on his sheets too!

Is it a prank? But Embry and Quil hasn't been to his house during the night and his sisters wouldn't do something gross like this.

How odd!

Does he have a terrible disease? Is he dying?! Oh god, what if he is dying?!!

"Dad!" He cries horrified. "DAD!"

His dad wheels back in. "What is it Jake?"

"There's something wrong with me!" He let's out, face ashen.

Worry crosses his father's features.

"Look!" Jacob gasps pointing at his soiled sheets.

To his amazement his dad starts chuckling. "Jake! Seems to me your perfectly healthy! "

"Let's clean this up, and then the two of us can have a little chat." His dad says smiling gently at his fear stricken son.

* * *

Jacob and his dad are sitting by the kitchen table, Jacob's face in a frown, mulling over the things his father tells him about what is called a wet dream and the sticky thing on his sheets and in his boxers is something called semen. He doesn't quite grasp it, but he remembers the word semen from biology class, and then recalls how their teacher told them that a mans sperm have a swimming competition and then they find an egg inside a girl and then she will have a baby. Then he thinks about how Embry's mom has told that if dreams seem real they can really come true. They are called true dreams. What if this was a true dream?

"I was dreaming of Leah! Is she pregnant now?" He has to ask because if she is pregnant, he will need his dad's help to tell Leah and Sue and Harry too, so they can get married right away, just like you are supposed to do when you have babies. He doesn't know anyone who has gotten married when they were only eleven years old like he is, or had babies either for that matter, so maybe he will be on the cover of La Push newspaper and become famous? He has always thought he would become famous for being the best baseball player or the coolest superhero, but becoming famous for marrying Leah is awesome too. Leah and Sue will probably be very angry at him for making her pregnant without her knowing it. Maybe Sue will try to shoot him with Harry's shotgun or try to run him over with his car? Rumor has it that she threatened to do just that to Paul Meraz when she found him kissing Leah in her room when they were supposed to be studying. Jacob wonders how mad Leah will be exactly, when she hears that he has made her pregnant by dreaming of her and then he wonders about the sperm having a swimming competition all the way from his bed to Leah's house and her bed and not even in water but in air, and then he starts thinking how weird it is that there is an egg inside of Leah and that it will become a baby.

His thoughts are interrupted by his dad's rumbling laughter. "You can't get a girl pregnant by dreaming of her Jacob." He can't? Jacob lets out a breath he wasn't aware that he was holding and feels relief washing over him, because now he won't have to worry about Leah slapping him in the face in the stinging and eye watering way that Rachel and Rebecca do when he does something naughty.

That's when his dad starts telling about how girls get pregnant, and he tells it very differently from their teacher, and Jake feels he understand much better. Sure his dad uses the same strange words such as sperm and ovaries, but he talks about love and that the body and sexuality is a gift that Jacob should give to someone who deserves his love and trust, a girl he respects and cares about deeply, a girl he wants to make feel good and loved.

Jacob nods his head in understanding, he already knows a girl who fits all the things his dad described to him. It's the same girl he dreamed about. _Leah Clearwater!_ Maybe Leah would like to get his body as her birthday present?

"I'm gonna give my body to Leah! She deserves to be my girlfriend and being my girlfriend will make her feel good!" He exclaims happily. Jacob really likes talking with his dad, because his dad explains everything so well and Jacob knows he can always tell his dad everything on his mind, and his dad will understand and help him.

His dad looks like he chokes on his own spit and starts coughing, before his face turns back to his ususal relaxed smile.

"Son, at eleven you are way too young for sex, and even if you were ready the girl you want to have sex with has to be ready as well and she has to want it as much as you. I'm telling you these things now so you will know when it's time and you will have the right information, but you aren't ready for sex yet. I don't want you to have sex until you are truly ready and I hope that day will be years from now."

"How do I know when I'm ready?" Jacob asks feeling perplexed again, just when he was thinking that he understood everything and was already thinking about wrapping himself up in gift wrapping for Leah's next birthday.

"You'll be ready when you know how to be safe and take responsibility."

Then his dad talks about protection but Jacob isn't really listening any more, because it all seems confusing once again. Jacob associates the word protection with fighting off monsters and bad guys and being a hero and he doesn't understand how it can be protecting to put on a rubber thing called a condom on his penis. Jacob liked it much better when his dad talked about love and trust and bodies being gifts to the ones you love. So he tunes out what his dad is saying thinking about much pleasanter things, like imagining laying naked on top of a a girl, who in Jacob's mind looks exactly like a certain Leah Clearwater and also is named Leah Clearwater. It makes his groin tighten weirdly, his heart hammer and face feel flushed, and most of all making him want to touch himself like his dad said that boys might like to do and that it's okay to do it whenever he is alone and thinking about things that make him feel good. It's called masturbating.

"Uh-uh." Jake chokes out to a question he quite didn't hear. "I gotta go do some stuff in my room." He bursts out rushing up from his seat, so he can be alone in his room and think of things that are interesting, like Leah Clearwater's soft body.

That's the day Jacob finds himself a new hobby he really likes, a hobby that he occupies himself with whenever he has the opportunity, like every night when he lies in bed and every time he takes a shower, and sometimes during the day when he locks the door to his room, and once even in the school bathroom when he was thinking of Leah and heard her laughter in the hallway.

He has already asked Leah to be his girlfriend a couple of times, but she always answers that he is too young for her. Next year he will be older, then he will ask her again, and if she says no he will ask the year after that. He will keep on asking until she thinks he is old enough and then he will give his body as a gift to her, so she will know that he has chosen to love her and only her forever and ever and ever. And then they will get married and have babies and be famous superheroes together.

Just like all of Jacob's plan, this one is a really good one, of that Jacob is truly certain. And Jacob knows that good plans always come true in the end! In the meanwhile he will busy himself of thinking of all the amazing things that will happen once his dreams become reality.

* * *

**AN: Don't own any characters.**

**I'm kind of struggling with my other stories and came to think of this for some reason... R&R**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Jake and his friends are thirteen in this chapter, and Leah sixteen. **

**Disclaimer: don't own charachters.**

**

* * *

  
**

**SEXUAL MISEDUCATION**

The end of the summer vacation is nearing and three boys sit in the Black's garage. Jacob is feeling happy they are all gathered again. It has been a couple of partially lonely weeks without his best friends.

Quil has been to camp in Forks, and Embry has been visiting his grandparents at the Makah reservation. Jacob's dad had asked if Jacob wanted to go to camp with Quil, and Embry's mom offered him to come with them to Makah, but Jacob had said 'No' to both offers, because that would've meant that he wouldn't been able to see Leah for several days, maybe even for as long as three whole weeks.

Summer meant cliff diving and playing volleyball and surfing, and all of these were things Leah liked to do and if the weather was nice Leah would be in a _bikini_! No way that Jacob would miss seeing Leah make a jump serve in a bikini or diving of a cliff in a bikini, preferably while holding Jacob's hand, and then hopefully loosing her bikini top when she hit the water...

Unfortunately that last part had never happened, but there were a couple of weeks left of the summer so it was still a possibility. For some unknown reason Leah liked to wear shorts and a tank top or a one piece bathing suit when she went cliffdiving, no matter how Jacob had tried to lure her to cliffdive when she showed up at the beach in her bikini.

There was another reason why Jacob wouldn't leave the rez and that was the ugly moron Sam Uley who was trying to ruin Jacob's summer. Never would Jacob ever leave La Push when Sam was lurking around looking at Leah in a way that made Jacob's blood boil. It was obvious Sam Uley was trying to steal Leah away from him.

Jacob had made sure that he and Seth were sticking to Leah like glue, making sure Sam never got anywhere near Leah without one of them being around. Jacob had even talked Seth into faking getting a sunstroke when Uley had been trying to trick Leah into going for a walk with him on the beach. Ha! That had worked like a charm, and then Leah had been at home playing video games with Seth and Jacob for four whole days because Seth complained about still feeling unwell. That was great, it definitely was worth having to buy Seth a Coke everyday as a reward for managing to get Leah to stay home with the two of them.

Jacob had held a lot of plans for himself and Leah for the summer, for their hearts and their souls and their bodies. Especially for their bodies! Those dreams of their bodies were the ones he liked to think about the most, although he also enjoyed dreaming of Leah whispering "I love you, Jacob" and imagining them holding hands walking on the beach and sitting on the cliffs watching the sun set, and kissing, and then kissing some more.

His plans for the summer hadn't all come true..._yet_. To be honest, not even half of his plans had come true. And to be completely truthful, maybe not even 90 % of them had come true. But summer wasn't over and Jacob was very determined to make his dreams come true, and he felt he was well on his way.

And he _did_ have an awesome thing to tell his friends. They would be green of envy when they heard his story. Of course he would have to spice it up a little, but that was allowed with stories. His dad has told him that a great storyteller knows how to capture his audience with little tricks, and Jacob wanted to be an awesome storyteller. After all that was a way of honoring his forefather's legacy. And it wasn't lying, since it would come true _eventually,_ so he might just as well tell it like it had already happened and not just been a mixture of almost happening and a fantasy of his.

He couldn't wait to get to tell Embry and Quil about Leah kissing him... it was on the cheek, but they didn't need to know that.

_Leah's smile is brighter than the sun and butterflies dance around in Jake's belly. He feels woozy, because Leah is so pretty and standing close to him... and maybe also because all the blood has traveled from his head to his groin. "Thank you Jake" she whispers and leans closer and closer and closer, and Jake's heart thumps louder and louder. Her soft lips touch his cheek, and Jacob puts __his hands on her hips and squeezes gently trying to pull her closer. "It was very sweet of you to carry Seth home when he got the sunstroke". _

Of course he would tell this like Leah kissed him on the lips, and that they ended up making out on the Clearwater's couch because one day soon they would do that, since he would be her boyfriend, and that's what boyfriend's got to do. The story would definitely be much better that way.

Jacob is already smiling smugly thinking about how Quil will wolf whistle and ask him about all kinds of details, and about how Embry's eyes will go round as saucers with awe. He can't wait to tell them!

"You never guess.." He starts but is interrupted by Quil who starts dunking Embry's back, like Embry just had scored a goal or a home run or something like that.

"Dude, that was some serious lip locking I witnessed!" He hollers, and Embry blushes a deep crimson. Quil proceeds in making smoochy noises and kissy faces.

What?! Jacob looks at his friends dumbfounded. What is Quil talking about?

"Man, where did you find her?" Quil continues hooting.

Her? Jacob feels quite at loss.

"Eh...it's...she's.." Embry stutters. Quil only laughs at their blushing friend and turns to look at Jacob. "You should've seen it Jake! Embry was swopping spit with a girl! I saw it when we drove past Makah, dropping off my cousin."

Jake looks astonished. What? Embry had kissed a girl? That, that couldn't be right? It was Embry, shy, blushing Embry. How could he have kissed a girl? How could Embry had kissed a girl when Jacob hadn't?

Of course Jacob had told his friends about the long parade of girls he had kissed, but that was just because because he could have if he wanted to, so it was as good as true, but Embry had kissed a girl _for real._

That was so unfair! It should be Jacob and Leah who sucked each other's faces! And Quil should be hollering about that and congratulating _him_, and Embry should be the one being astonished. Man, this was just messed up. Now Jacob had to quickly make his story even better, in order to top this off. Maybe he should add getting to touch Leah's boobs?

"Her name is Hannah, and she is my girlfriend." Embry tells shyly, looking very happy, and he is feeling mighty happy too, Jacob can tell.

Who would've thought that Embry would be the first of the three of them to have _an actual girlfriend?_ The thought of that just blows Jacob away. Now he feels that he really has to step up his plan of securing Leah as his girlfriend, because if Embry can manage to get a girl, then surely he – Jacob Black – must be able to get the girl of his dreams!

"Is she cute?" Jacob asks, but there is no way she can be anywhere near as pretty as Leah, of that Jacob is certain. There are no other girls as gorgeous as Leah. Of course Jacob hasn't traveled that much, but he highly doubts there is another girl like Leah anywhere in the world. Jacob tells himself that he wouldn't want to kiss a boring regular girl named Hannah from Makah, when there is Leah Clearwater who is exciting and mysterious, and older and living right here in La Push, clearly destined for Jacob. Why else would two awesome persons like Jacob and Leah be living in the same town if not because they were meant to be together? It was all very logical in Jacob's head, it made sense.

Embry blushes again and nods excitement shining in his eyes. Jacob _is _happy for his friend, although slightly envious, he can admit that. But of course Embry should have a girlfriend too, because once Jacob starts dating Leah his friends will need girlfriends too so they can go on dates together, and they won't be lonely when Jacob wants to spend all his time making out with Leah in his room, on his bed.

Thinking about laying on top of Leah's soft and excitingly curvy body the envy washes out from Jacob's heart, perhaps since his heart is struggling with pumping enough blood around his body, because the thought of laying on top of Leah makes it all gather in one place, making his jeans feel very very tight and uncomfortable.

Jake is just about to open his mouth to tell his awesome story that has now gone from getting a peck on the cheek, to getting kissed on the lips to actually frenching Leah and then touching her boobs _under_ her t-shirt and Leah saying "I'm in love with you Jacob, I dream about you every night and want you to be my boyfriend." when Quil picks up something that he has been hiding under his t-shirt.

_Holy crap! _Jacob can't believe his eyes. It's a video with several naked women on the cover. _Bitches in heat IV_, Jacob reads. Could it be..Was it.. Oh yes, _IT WAS_! It was the kind of film that Jacob just had heard about but never actually seen. His eyes goes as wide as Embry's and all three boys stare at the video in awe. Wow! _AMAZING_!

"Where did you get that?" Jacob asks breathlessly and not even trying to hide how impressed he is, because this is impressive! Even Jacob has to admit that. He brings his fingers to touch the cover. It's real!

"Dude, let me tell you. Camp was awesome. You should have been there! This cool guy from Forks, Mike Newton, he had all these magazines and films and I got to buy this one from him!" And then Quil goes on telling about all the cool stuff he did at camp and how this Mike Newton, who is sixteen and in high school, had taught the younger boys, including Quil, to do all kinds of cool stuff, like arranging these really awesome competitions where they could prove how much of men they really were. Jacob listens to all the strange new games Mike Newton has taught Quil.

"... and the one who cums first looses!" Quil exclaims. "You wanna try?" Quil asks excitement gleaming in his eyes looking at his two friends.

Jacob normally loves all kinds of competitions and always wants to compete and win, but the competition that Quil described makes him feel confused. It's called a circle jerk and they should be jerking each other off. It sounds weird. Why would he want to touch Quil or Embry like that?

Embry's ears are beet red and his eyes show pure terror, as he is trying to look everywhere except on the video cover or at his friends.

"Mike Newton has had sex with a lot of girls, he told me! Like that hot blond one in Forks, you know, Lauren, and one was named Jessica and another Angela, and a lot of others, like all girls at Forks High, even the ugly ones and fat ones. He says ugly girls can be real freaks in bed. And he has circle jerks all the time with his friends, that's why he is a sex machine. "

Jacob knows who Lauren is, she wears mini skirts and small tank tops that barely cover her stomach and she has really big boobs and she has a lot of make-up on. But mostly he remembers her because she has an annoying giggle and seems to think she is something special, when it's quite obvious she isn't. He also vaguely can place Mike Newton. He is the pizza faced boy whose parents own the sports equipment shop. Jake doubts that Mike Newton has had sex with that many girls, in fact, he doubts Mike has had sex with any girl. But then again, since he is in high school it might be true, because Jacob knows that high school equals having sex. Lots of it, at least that's the way Jacob hopes he will spend his high school years, having lots and lots of sex with Leah.

"What, what if our parents find out?" Embry worries.

"Why would they find out?" Quil huffs.

"But, but isn't it wrong?" He whispers. "Looking at films like that? Isn't it cheating looking at other girls when you have a girlfriend? "

Jacob can see the guilt Embry is feeling at the thought of playing this circle jerk game and watching the video, and Jacob concludes that Embry worries about being bad like he often does, which is funny because Embry never does anything bad. Jacob often has to ease Embry's conscience after they've done pranks or other fun forbidden stuff. Embry just is a worrier, but then again Jacob has seen Ms Call weep when the boys sometimes get caught. His dad and Quil's parents just laugh or tell them off, but Embry's mom cries. There is nothing Embry hates more than making his mom disappointed.

"No it's not cheating!" Quil argues heatedly. "It's called practicing, and your girlfriend will be happy you practiced a lot when you have sex with her!"

At this Embry looks horrified. "I'm, I'm not having sex with Hannah. We just held hands and kissed a couple of times." He stutters.

"See! You have a girlfriend and you haven't even touched her boobs. That's disappointing. If I had a girlfirned I would touch her boobs all the time! You need to learn how to have sex and porn is the best way to learn. Mike Newton said so!" Quil informs Embry.

Embry looks doubtful, and then turns to look at Jacob. They all know that if Jacob agrees that they should do it, Embry will cave too. Embry always follows Jacob's lead.

"Are you chicken?" Quil asks looking at them both and that is all that it takes to convince Jacob, because nobody calls him a coward. He is Jacob Black for fucks sake! He isn't afraid of anything, certainly not a stupid game some kid from Forks has taught Quil, and he sure as hell will make Quil loose and regret calling him chicken. That will show Quil that Jake is cool, much cooler than his new friend Mike Newton!

Luckily Jacob's dad is at a council meeting and Jacob knows he will stay there for a long time, and his sisters are over at Leah's. The coast is clear. Jacob lets out a shaky breath as he inserts the video in the VCR. Quil rushes out from the bathroom with his sisters body lotion and then he starts taking his clothes off.

"What are you doing?" Jacob asks confused.

"Taking my clothes off. Now get undressed." Quil orders but Jacob just stands there and stares at him.

"What's the plot?" Embry asks fidgeting nervously on the couch. "Will we understand it, because we haven't seen the first films?"

"Plot? The plot is sex and naked girls!" Quil shouts.

Then an image fills the screen and sounds like Jacob has never heard before. Moans, groans, grunting and dirty talk that makes Jacob stand frozen staring at the images on display. He feels his jeans tighten and can do nothing but stare dumbly at the naked women on the screen, not even noticing being pushed to sit by Quil who has taken command of the situation since he is the experienced one. Jacob is usually the on leading their little trio, but right now, he isn't even capable of thinking, because all the blood in him has collected in his groin.

"Are you sure this is how it should be done?" Jacob manages to croak out, when Quil starts unzipping Jacob's pants.

Then he feels Quil's hand on his penis and he feels very confused, but watching the screen he imagines it's Leah and him in the video, and Leah's hand touching him, and the other girls on the screen he thinks of as Leah as well, like Leah and her secret identical twin, and Leah's identical triplet, and the fourth girl the Leah quadruplet. He doesn't hear Quil muttering orders to Embry, and isn't even aware as Quil takes his hand and squirts lotion on it and then places it on Embry's dick and tells him to jerk Embry off.

Soon Jacob feels that his pants are becoming one with the ones on the screen, and he can't distinguish Embry's or Quil's grunting from each other. He is moving his hand up and down Embry's shaft absentmindedly but barely registers that, as he thinks of Leah's hand moving over his and...

_Leah has dyed her hair blond, for whatever reason and Jacob is a grown man with a lot of muscles, but when Jacob squints with his eyes he can clearly see that it is Leah and him. Leah has red panties on and a red lacy bra and then the man – Jacob himself – rips the panties off and starts licking her pussy and Leah is moaning and Jacob is moaning too and he really wants to taste Leah so badly that he almost imagines a taste on his tounge, and then the other Leah is starting to suck on Jacob's cock, and Jacob can feel it being done and ..._

That's when he feels something spraying on his hand and hears Embry sighing falling backwards against the cushions, stains of jizz all over Embry's pants and his stomach and maybe even in his face.

Jacob looks at him surprised and then looks at his hand that is still wrapped around Embry's now soft dick. Somehow Jake feels like his hand got all dirty, and feels a little nauseous.

"Don't stop Embry!" Quil whines, because Embry's hand has stopped moving. Quil's whiny commanding voice gets Embry's hand moving, but hesitantly and awkwardly.

"You lost Embry!" Quil barks out never taking his eyes off the screen, as he sits in a halfturned position on the coffee table.

Jacob's cock is still hard, but he the good mood is long gone when he realizes that it's Quil touching him and not Leah, and is just about to slap Quil's hand away, when he hears Quil swearing and grunting and then Quil cums and it stains the couch, and now Jake worries about the stains, because Rebecca has a thing for cleaning. He must get that stain off the couch before she notices it!

"You won Jake!" Quil says still moving his hand over Jake's shaft and then all of a sudden there is a noise at the door. Embry quickly manages to stumble to the bathroom, while Quil and Jacob both frantically hurry to pull their pants up, Jacob struggling with getting the zipper closed over his still semi-hardness with one hand, as the other is stained with Embry's cum. Unfortunately neither boy has time to turn the video off before Jacob's two sisters with Leah in tow charge in to the living room, Quil diving to sit next to Jacob on the couch, plastering an innocent grin on his face. But it's not really helping since the video is still on.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WATCHING?!" Rebecca shrieks, as Rachel screams in pure horror. Leah stares unblinking with her mouth hanging open taking in the images on the TV. Jacob composes himself enough to move to turn the video off, all the while hiding his stained hand behind his back.

"No, don't turn it off!" Leah stops him. He looks at her confused. "I want to see."

"WHAT?!" Rachel and Rebecca question in unison.

"I've never watched a porno. I wanna see what it's like."

"Why?" Rachel asks looking at her incredulously.

"Because all guys seem to like them, I want to see what's so special about them." Leah explains and sits down on the couch .

All Jacob can think of is Leah sitting next to him as the moans become louder and louder on TV and Jacob feels his face burn. Jacob's heart thumps wildly, and he is painfully aware of Leah's presence next to him. It's very awkward, especially since the bulge in his pants is growing bigger again now that Leah is sitting so close to him.

Does Leah like the film? Jacob tries to catch a look of her face from the corner of her eye.

Leah is furrowing her brows, but her cheeks are quite pink. Then she starts laughing

"Oh my god. This plot is so stupid. And they say such idiotic things. Do you really like this Jake? I mean, I don't get it." Now Leah is fully facing him and Jacob is, for the first time in his life, at a loss for words.

"I, I," he stutters, because how can he tell that he liked it very much, especially since the girls on the screen were all _her_ in his imagination, and the man was _him_ and he imagined doing all those things with Leah, and had tried to memorize them so he can try them later with her.

"Where did you get it?" Rebecca asks, the disapproval evident in her voice.

Jacob isn't a snitch so he just shrugs his shoulders, but Quil, obviously not recognizing the danger in Rebecca's tone, proudly informs them all that he owns the film and has bought it from Mike Newton.

At the mention of Mike Newton's name all three girls scrunch their faces in pure disgust.

"Ew, Mike Newton. He is such a pervert!" Leah says looking like she is going to be sick at the thought of him, and at the thought of looking at a film originally belonging to him.

"You better stay away from Mike Newton, Jake! You don't wanna become a perverted creep like him." Rebecca orders.

"Mike is cool!" Quil defends his new idol hotly, and makes the big mistake of standing up, thus making the stain on the couch on full display for Rebecca's hawk eyes.

"What. the. fuck. is. that?" She hisses.

"N-n-not-nothing" Quil stammers terror gripping him.

"Nothing!? Nothing?! It better be nothing! She screeches getting up moving towards the bathroom.

"Who's in the bathroom?" She asks starting to bang on the door. "Open up!"

Embry looks like he might start crying out of fear as he opens the bathroom door, the front of his t-shirt dripping water and a clear stain can be seen on his pants.

Rebecca makes a repulsed face glancing him over, before pushing past and reemerging with a box of tissues.

"Start cleaning!" She says shoving the box in to Jake's hand, and out of reflex Jake catches the box with his right hand, the one that he has been trying to hide.

"Jesus Christ, Jacob! That better be not what I think it is on your hand!"

"Have you been, have you been jerking off together?" Leah asks, starting to giggle hysterically. "That's sort of gross."

"Ew! You're such perverts!" Rachel chimes in. "I'm never gonna sit on that couch again! I'm telling dad!"

And with that his sisters and Leah run into the girls room screeching with laughter, loudly talking about how gross the three boys are and how weird it is to sit an watch porn with other guys and jerk off together.

The mortification Jacob feels quickly turns to anger. When he has finished getting the stain off the couch he will take the bus to Forks and find Mike Newton and punch him in the face for making Leah laugh at him and calling him gross. It's all Mike Newton's fault if Jacob won't get a kiss from Leah this summer and Jacob will make sure Mike pays for that!


	3. Chapter 3

**SETTING THINGS STRAIGHT**

Jacob barely registers how Embry flees the scene the minute the door to his sisters room closes. All Jacob sees are the red spots dancing in his line of vision as humiliation burns inside of him. The muffled laughter and his sisters very loud whispers "Oh my god! That was so gross! And isn't jerkin off together a gay thing to do?! Do you think they are gay?" coming from the girls rooms aren't making it any better. All he can think about is Leah laughing at him, Leah thinking that he is gross, Leah not wanting to kiss him after witnessing this.

Jacob is torn between wanting to kill Mike Newton, kill Quil, and kill his sisters. He just can't decide what to do first.

"Uh.." Quil open his mouth as if to say something, but closes it again, and continues scratching his head dumbly.

Jacob ignores his friend and moves to tear the film from the VCR-payer, smashing it with his foot. _Stupid video!_

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Quil shrieks diving to rescue his precious treasure from Jacob's angry feet, but it's too late.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT FOR?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Quil yells sounding like he is in pain as he looks at the tarnished pieces of the video.

Jacob has never hit any of his friends and rarely even had disagreements with them, but now he shoves Quil hard in the shoulder. Quil looses his balance and tumbles to the floor, looking astonished and then hurt, but Jacob is already marching away, trying hard not to feel guilty. _Suits him right_, Jacob thinks angrily, pushing the feeling of remorse away. It's Quil fault they played that stupid game anyway, the game that has embarrassed Jacob in front of Leah! _Stupid Quil! _

Hot tears prickle behind Jacob's eyelids, but he blinks them away. He is a man now and not a cry-baby and he will show how much a man he is when he makes that idiot Mike Newton pay! It's Mike Newton's fuckin' fault!

_Stupid Mike Newton! _

He is going to avenge the injustice done to him. He is going to make sure that Mike Newton pays for making Jacob lose face in front of Leah!

The last bus to Forks has already left, but that doesn't stop Jacob. He grabs his bicycle and starts pedaling furiously, wallowing in misery. "_Leah thinks I'm gross. Leah laughed at me! Leah looked at me funnily." _he keeps repeating in his head.

These thoughts only replaced by images of their ruined future:Leah saying 'No' to being his girlfriend because she thinks he's a pervert, Leah kissing some other boy instead, Leah marrying someone else.

It rains, actually it's pouring, but that doesn't slow Jacob down. The 12 miles between La Push and Forks are quickly diminishing.

He is completely soaked and panting heavily, when a car pulls up in front of him. A police car.

"Jake!" Charlie greets stepping out of his car, and Jake stops. "Where are you going?"

Jacob stares at Charlie Swan in the pouring rain. _To punch Mike Newton in the face_ doesn't seem like a good answer.

"Look at you! You're completely soaked through! I'll drive you home Jake, I was about to visit Billy anyway." Charlie says walking up to Jacob. "Lets put your bike in the trunk."

Jacob hesitates for a second, but then reality starts setting in. He doesn't know where Mike lives and it's starting to get late and he really doesn't feel like punching anyone anymore. He feels empty, exhausted, as the adrenaline rush is over, all used up on his bike ride.

"Okay." Jacob mutters and together they secure his bike in the trunk.

The ride back is silent, which is normal for Charlie. What is surprising is the silence from Jacob, he rarely ever keeps his mouth shut.

"Are you alright?" Charlie asks clearly concerned.

Jacob sighs, staring out at the rain that complements his foul mood. He feels weary, tired to the bone. He glances at Charlie. He considers asking about how to make a girl like you again after you made a fool of your self in front of her, but reconsiders. Charlie doesn't seem like a person who knows much about women.

When they reach home Jacob marches straight to his room ignoring his father, ignoring his sisters. All he wants to do is crawl into bed and make it all go away.

_Why did he agree to play that stupid game? Why did his sisters come home with Leah just then? Why, why did he make a fool of himself in front of her? _

Staring up at the ceiling makes him only feel worse, so he picks up his most treasured item from it's hiding place under his pillow. It's a treasure that always cheers him up. The Tribal school's yearbook. It's Rachel's, but she won't get it back anytime soon. He opens the page he has dog-eared. He gently runs his fingers over the prettiest girl in the entire book. _His girl!_

"Leah", he whispers.

There is so much he wants to say to her, but most of all he would like to hold her in his arms. And kiss her, he really wants to kiss her, _needs_ to kiss her. His body is aching for kissing her and kissing the page always leaves him feeling very unsatisfied.

Somewhere through gazing at the picture of his girl, he hears Charlie leave, and guesses it will only be a matter of time before he'll have to walk into the kitchen and have a talk with his father. Jacob isn't afraid of what his dad will say, but it's not like he's looking forward to having a talk with him either. He wants to forget all about his humiliation as soon as possible and never think about it again.

"Hey perv! Dad wants to talk to you!" Rachel's snide voice calls him. Quickly Jacob hides his treasure under his pillow again.

His dad is smiling at him when he enters the kitchen like nothing is wrong, when _everything_ is wrong. From the corner of his eye Jake can see his sisters smirking gleefully in the doorway. Stupid sisters! He'll find something to tell on them, see how they'll like that! Before he has time to open his mouth and yell at them to wipe those stupid smirks from their ugly faces or he'll do it for them, his dad turns around towards the girls who clearly are lurking around only to hear Jacob being told off.

"Girls, I'm having a word with Jacob in private. Why don't you watch some TV or do your homework in your room!" And the tone of their father's voice make them leave.

"So Jake, want to tell me about it?" His dad asks calmly.

"No!" Jacob barks out, but he knows his dad won't let him off the hook just like that.

His dad keeps waiting patiently in silence, smiling kindly. Jacob fidgets and tries to purse his lips together, trying to will his mouth not to open, but as always the words come tumbling out anyway.

"It was all Quil's fault, and Mike Newton's and that stupid game! I didn't want to play it, but then Quil said I was a coward and I'm NOT! And then Leah came and now everything is ruined!" He shouts.

His father blinks. Once, twice..."What's ruined?"

"Leah.." Jacob whispers his heart clenching at the thought of it really being ruined. "And it's their fault!" He shouts as he balls his fists.

"Jacob..." the voice is soothing, but also commanding. "A man is always responsible for his own actions. You can't blame your decisions on others. Being called a coward is no reason to do something."

Jacob grits his teeth. It was their fault! It was! If Quil hadn't gone to camp, and if Mike Newton hadn't been there, if Quil hadn't called him a coward, if Mike Newton didn't exist, if his sisters hadn't come home with Leah at the _wrong _time, if, if only, then everything would be fine! They are the once to blame!

"We all make bad decisions at some point in our lives, but what matters is what we do after we have made those decision. Owning up to our mistakes and taking responsibility is the right thing to do. Do you understand that Jacob?" His dad demands.

Jacob lowers his head. The he slowly unclenches his fists and looks up at his dad again. Unfortunately Jacob does understand, he doesn't want to, but he does. It's feels even worse when he can't blame someone else, the only person he can blame is himself.

"I guess" he mutters reluctantly.

"Why were you heading to Forks on your bike?" His dad asks next.

"To punch Mike Newton in the jaw." Jacob says and actually feels foolish, because that wouldn't made any difference to the situation. He realizes that now.

"To punch Mike Newton... " His dad chuckles now, shaking his head. "Oh Jacob, fighting isn't always the answer."

Jacob almost smiles and then decides to tell everything. He tells his dad about the video, and the strange games Quil has learned at camp, and how Quil thinks Mike Newton is cool, how Embry has kissed a girl and has a girlfriend and how they played that circle jerk game but he really didn't want to and he didn't like it either. He tells about how Leah said that what they were doing was gross, and tells about his fears that Leah might think that _he is gross_ and never want to be touched by him.

His dad silently listens as Jacob spills his heart out, listens as Jacob tells everything that has been eating him the past hours. His worry that Leah might not like him anymore, that Leah will think that he is an idiot, that Leah won't fall in love with him and want to be his girlfriend after todays events.

Jacob sighs miserably, "How can I make Leah like me again?"

"Just be yourself Jake, that's all you can do." His dad tells, and Jacob actually feels better, because he is really good at being himself.

Then there is the thing Jacob has to ask about. The question that has been nagging in the back of his head, a question raised by Leah's reaction to the film.

"Doesn't girls like sex?"

Because why else didn't Leah like the film? That's a horrible scary thought, because _what if _Leah didn't like sex, where would that leave him since he really really would like to have sex with Leah!

"Sure they do, Jake. Why are you asking?"

"Leah didn't like the film, and I...uh..I thought it was..it was...uh...good." He says, feeling his face start to burn.

He doesn't get why Leah had laughed at the film, calling it stupid. The women in the film didn't seem to think what they were doing was stupid. No, they seemed to like the sex they were having very much, wanting the man in the film to fuck them. They were yelling 'harder' and 'faster' and even when the man slapped their asses and pulled their hair and threw them around real roughly. But that's not things he would ever do to Leah, unless she wanted him to of course.

Were there two different kinds of women, those like the ones in the film who cried MORE and FASTER and then girls who didn't like sex at all who only laughed at those films? What if Leah was one of never-want-to-have-sex-girls?

His dad seems to consider something, "The things you see on those films, do you think that's how reality is?"

"I dunno." Jacob shrugs. Something in his dad's way of asking suggests it's _not _how reality is, but the images had seemed very real to Jacob.

"You know the way they have sex in those films, the things they say and the way the actors look, that doesn't reflect reality. Porn films are fantasies, and almost always made by men for men. The way women are treated in those films isn't respectful. And I expect you to always treat the girl you have sex with respect, no matter who it is or the situation. Girls are humans, not objects to be used to your pleasure." Jacob nods his head to this. He respects Leah more than he respects anyone, well, maybe he respects his dad just as much.

"Women enjoy sex just as much as men, but might not be turned on by the same things. That's why it's important to listen to your girl, so you will know what she enjoys and what makes her feel good. Sex is about not just about getting pleasure but giving it too." His dad continues.

Jacob understand, he will devote his life to make Leah feel pleasure and giving to her! Jacob's is relieved when he realizes that just because Leah didn't like the film, doesn't mean that she won't like the things Jacob very much would like to try with her. He just has to remember to ask her: "How does it feel?" and "Does that feel good?" and "What do you like?"

The smile is coming back to his face, but the lecture isn't completely over yet.

"I get that you boys are curious. There's nothing wrong with being curious and trying things as long as you do it because _you want to_, and not because you get pressured into it, and as long as it's something _all _parties involved _want to _do. But Jake, you have to remember that you live with your two sisters and I don't want them to have to walk in on you watching porn or anything like what happened today ever again."

Jacob nods making a promise. It's not like he will ever play that stupid game ever again. But the porn... He isn't sure, because the film was very exciting, even if his dad claims that it hasn't very much to do with reality. Only next time he won't watch it here or anywhere where he can be caught.

"Dad?" Jacob asks remembering something. "Embry is scared you'll tell his mom."

"I won't Jacob, but I think I should talk to Embry about this. I probably should talk to Quil too, you never know what Old Quil will be telling him on the subject." His dad says laughing. Jacob laughs too, because he remembers the things Old Quil has told the trio about girls and dating, and those are quite different from the things his dad says.

Jacob feels a lot better. Tomorrow he'll go and ask if Leah will go to the beach with him. Everything isn't lost after all, and he will make Leah realize that he isn't a perv, but the boy who should be Leah's boyfriend.

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As he turns the lights out and snuggles under his quilt, his mind fills with images of Leah on the beach in her red polka dot bikini, running towards him, her round breasts bouncing with each step, just like on Baywatch. Too bad that show got cancelled. It was such a good show. Luckily Quil's granddad has taped every episode so Jacob has seen a lot of them. Maybe Leah could start working as a lifeguard at First Beach?

Thinking about Leah and Baywatch, he imagines her doing mouth-to-mouth to him. Her plump pink lips warm and soft against his. He knows she'll taste like raspberries, which by the way is his favourite berry. From the hiding place under his pillow he picks up another gem, Leah's raspberry chapstick that he happened to pinch from her room a couple of weeks ago. Jacob applies some on his lips and then licks them, imagining it's her tongue caressing his lips. It tastes good!

He imagines cuddling and kissing Leah, his face buried into his pillow, as his right hand – or is it Leah's hand? – starts roaming over his body. Pinching his nipples, and then moving downwards to stroke himself. Pretty soon he feels it's time to pick up the one of the socks he has for these moments. But when his mind starts replaying the images from the porn he comes up with a great idea.

It requires some re-organizing. After dropping his pyjama pants completely he wraps the pillow around his hard dick like a tube sandwiching it, laying down on his side. Then he starts thrusting his hips. Back and forth.

It feels great.

Then he gets an even better idea! He tiptoes to the dark living room, not even bothering to put on his pyjama pants, since everyone is sleeping anyway and pants are annoying to put on when his dick is standing at full attention.

He picks up one of the foam pillows his dad has for his bad neck from the couch. Then he tiptoes to the kitchen getting a pair of scissors. Back in his room he takes off the pillow case and cuts a hole in the middle of the pillow. After a seconds deliberation he pours some of the body lotion he has stolen from his sisters in the hole.

It's very hard to keep quiet as he humps away, thrusting into the stuffing inside. God it feels so amazing!

_Leah! __Leah!  
_

"Umph, umph, uh, uh, ooh.."he is unable to stop the groans as he moves faster and faster.

It's Leah's wet warm pussy. It's heaven!

"Lee!" The strangled cry echoes in his room as he explodes, but he is too caught up in a rapture to care that their walls are paper thin and that his dad or his sisters might have heard that.

He pants heavily and soon enough falls into a blissful sleep, completely oblivious to the angry muttered curses from his sisters room.

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**AN:Thank you so much for the reviews! Keep reviewing!**

**Disclaimer, don't own the characters just enjoy making them embarrassed by revealing their secrets.**

**About the circle jerk in the previous chapter. A friend of mine (a guy) told me about doing it at camp when he was in his early teens, and according to him it's fairly regular camp activity for guys in their early teens (don't know if that's true but then again who knows with the stuff teenage boys brains cook up), anyway he also claimed the mattresses in the bunk beds at those camps always had holes in them at certain places and it was fairly regular for the boys to be humping a mattress... So the inspiration to Jake's activities come from this information.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: The dreaded 'morning after' is here!**

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**THE MORNING AFTER**

His sisters behavior is getting weirder and weirder. Jacob shakes his head watching them at the breakfast table.

They keep on giving him these strange sideway glances, then looking at each other and giggling.

"I'm sure you're hungry, a growing boy needs his food." Rachel says as she puts pancakes on his plate giving him a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Sorry we didn't have any sausage, I know you like your meat." Rachel adds and then both sisters start snickering.

Jacob shakes his head. Weird, definitely weird. Why would he want sausage for breakfast? And it wasn't like sausage was an ingredient in any of his favorite courses either.

"Did you bring in the wood for the fireplace last night?" Rebecca asks and Rachel bursts out in another round of giggles.

"Huh?" Jacob asks dumbly, he feels even more confused. What wood? It's summer, they usually don't use the fireplace during the summer.

Then they start talking about laundry.

"Maybe it's time to do your laundry Jake? We've decided that you should do your own laundry from now on, and be sure to remember to wash your own sheets separately from ours."

That doesn't make any sense. First of all he changed sheets a couple of days ago, when it was laundry day. Secondly doesn't it make much more sense to wash all their sheets together in the same wash, just like they always do? It's much more rational and better for the environment too. Thirdly laundry was not one of his chores. His sisters and him had agreed that if he was the one to do those kind of things his sisters found disgusting like clearing clogged plumbing for instance, they would do laundry and cook, and he would wash the dishes and they all took turns in vacuuming.

Rebbecca yawns theatrically, "I'm tired. Didn't get much sleep last night."

"Yeah, me neither. How about you Jake, did you have a hard time sleeping? " Rachel asks.

He looks at them astonished and shakes his head.

"No." he answers feeling confused about the topic.

Then they proceed to talk loudly about buying earplugs so they can sleep in peace at night without disturbing noises, giving him pointed looks, like he should understand something by that. If they want to buy earplugs what's that got to do with him? Sure their dad snores, but it isn't that loud. And Jacob doesn't snore, at least not that he is aware of it.

He decides the best method to tackle their weirdness is to ignore them. Besides he is in such a great mood this morning and he doesn't want to ruin his high by asking them why they behave odder than usual. He feels extremely rejuvenated and relaxed so he couldn't care less about their strange moods. It could be that the gruesome monster named PMS was approaching, a monster Jacob has learned to fear. Jacob knew that whenever that monster reared its ugly head he either had to make himself invisible or come bearing gifts of chocolate and offers of foot massages to placate the monster and be able to make it through the day alive. But on the other hand the PMS monster normally wasn't giggling or using that teasing tone, the PMS monster was angry and yelled, so it had to be something else. Jacob shrugs for himself and keeps shoveling down the pancakes.

That's when his hears his dad wheeling around the living room like he is looking for something.

"Have any of you kids seen my orthopedic pillow? I was going to take a nap and I really need that pillow."

"You need help looking?" Rebecca asks and goes to their father's aid.

Jacob freezes. Uh-oh. He hasn't thought of an explanation to the sudden absence of that pillow. He was so caught up in his glorious moment yesterday night that he really didn't think about the morning after. All he could think about yesterday was...uhm, how to put this... humping it...and it didn't help that his penis was doing _all_ the thinking.

Jacob had noticed that Champion, as his magnificent friend was named, tended not plan very far ahead and never seemed to think of the morning after. Jacob would never criticize Champion but it was true that Champion was a little short-sighted at times. Champion was easily excitable and impulsive, and he was also very domineering. Jacob wasn't the type to follow anyone's lead, but Champion was very demanding and Jacob found it difficult denying Champion anything he had taken a liking to, not that he really wanted to deny Champion anything, and last night Champion had taken a liking to his dad's orthopedic pillow.

Jacob loved spoiling Champion and giving him what he wanted, but Champion wasn't spoiled rotten, because he still hadn't gotten any of the things he wanted the most. Jacob felt as if Champion and he often, but not always, were of one mind. And luckily what he and Champion desired the most was the same thing. _Leah Clearwater's body. _Sure Jacob also wanted her heart, and Champion didn't begrudge him that desire, they had come to an understanding that if Jacob got her heart they both would share her body. A win-win situation.

Jacob loved Champion just as much as a father would love his son, of that he was certain. He had chosen the name carefully, with the same amount of deliberation any proud parent put in the naming of their beloved and very talented child. He had chosen a name that showed the greatness of his friend, because his friend was perfect, something to be admired, and a great companion. He had quite a few names to choose from. First he had considered to simply name him God, because his friend truly behaved like a god. He had also considered Emperor or Ruler of the Universe or Conqueror. Then he thought of Hero or Ace, but decided on the name of Champion. A perfect name to capture the fact that his Champion was simply the greatest. He had this raw power that Jacob knew all real champions possess, because that is what makes someone a winner, and his friend Champion definitely was a winner.

He had of course named the faithful companions to his friend too. The second in command in the band of brother's was his right ball, the one that had that angrily popping vein that made it look vicious. He was Jacob's favorite of the two twins and was thus named with the fitting Chief Junior Black. The other twin, whom Jacob also love dearly, was named Wolfman Black, Protector of the tribe.

Anyway, after Champion and his loyal brother's had completed their mission last night and conquered the pillow, Jacob had fallen straight asleep.

When he woke up to his sisters call for breakfast and the delicious scent of blueberry pancakes, he had forgotten all about the pillow. He had jumped straight out of bed to eat, because he was hungry like a wolf, just like he always was when Champion and his brothers had won a great battle not giving his conquest a second thought.

"There it is! On Jake's bedroom floor." he hears Rebecca call and that's when he finally unfreezes and rushes from the table, breakfast only half eaten. He can't have Rebecca or his father picking it up, because Champion's and his brother's mission should remain a secret one.

Jacob is fast and reaches his bedroom at the same time as his dad. The pillow lies on his bedroom floor, luckily turned so that the hole doesn't show.

"WAIT!" Jacob shouts.

Jacob's shout makes Rebecca stop dead in her tracks, turning her head to stare at Jacob, but still half bent with her hand dangerously extended with the intention of grabbing a hold of the pillow. Jacob's heart thumps a frantic rhythm as he tries to think of something, anything to say to stop his secret from spilling out.

"Uh..my neck, my neck is hurting real bad and I need to lay down right now." Jacob explains in a frenzy as he makes a dive for the pillow and flings himself with the pillow in a vice grip onto his bed.

"Maybe it's all the night time activity that makes your neck hurt." his sister comments wryly and marches away.

What?!

"You know the walls are really thin Jacob!" she shouts over her shoulder.

Jacob looks after her with his mouth hanging open and feels his cheeks, his entire face start to burn as realization hits him. They had heard him? And that's what they had been commenting about the entire time during breakfast. _Shit! Shit! Shit! _Stupid sisters! Why were they lying awake spying on him?

His dad wheels closer to Jacob with an amused expression on his face.

"Maybe you should keep the pillow Jake, and I'll buy myself a new one. And next time, don't take someone else's belongings if you're use them for your entertainment."

Could his father know what he had done with the pillow?

Jacob has learned his lesson of not blaming his actions on other's, but even if he hadn't, he would never let Champion, The chief Junior Black or Wolfman Black, the protector of the tribe take the fall. He would protect those three with his life and keep their secrets safe!

"I don't know what you're talking about." he manages to stutter.

"Sure, sure!" his dad laughs and wheels himself out.

Jacob hides in his room for a long time, until he feels it's safe to leave his room without the risk of meeting his sisters.

It had been awkward and embarrassing _yesterday_ but after he talked with his dad he didn't feel mortified about being caught watching the porn. And his sisters and Leah had not seen the circle jerk thing so it wasn't _that _bad, they had just witnessed the aftermath. He had felt as he had nothing to be ashamed of even if it wasn't any of his finer moments. He and his friends had simply been curious and experimented and had made _a mistake_, but _everyone _could make mistakes. And he had been so sure that he wouldn't make that mistake _again_. But now he obviously had gone and made a _new mistake_. What if they told Leah about that? They wouldn't, would they? At least they didn't know what he had done with the pillow, and at least they hadn't seen him in action. Just hearing it, it couldn't be that bad, right? He hadn't been _that _loud, had he? Sure some of the sounds might have slipped out, but didn't he keep it real quiet?

After running these and several similar questions over in his head, he decides that it wasn't that bad, that his sisters probably hadn't heard much at all and that he should face it like a man, and come out of his hiding. Besides it was time to go and see his girl!

This time he remembers to hide the pillow. He even puts the pillow case back on, in case someone would find it.

When he approaches the Clearwater's to meet up with his beautiful girl, both he and Champion get excited about the images that Jacob is creating in his head, like rolling around on the lawn kissing wildly and grinding against her - that image is one that Champion especially likes, because Champion loves when he gets to touch and feel - or making out on Leah's bed and squeezing Leah's butt.

Jacob whistles happily but his whistling comes to an abrupt stop at the horrifying sight before him.

His girl is climbing to sit behind Sam on his dirt bike, taking the extra helmet from his hands, putting it on. Then her hands grab Sam's waist as he starts revving the engine.

Jacob runs. He has to stop her! Stop her before its too late.

"Leah!" He calls desperately waving his hands, trying to get her attention. She turns her head looking Jacob staright in the eye as Sam speeds away on the dirt road. Leah's eyes are still locked on Jacob's as she is carried away, further and further away from him, and Jacob can do nothing but stare miserably as Leah becomes smaller and smaller and then disappears completely from sight.

Pure agony is written on his face as he keeps on staring after her at the empty road, wishing for her to return, wishing for it to be a bad dream. The anguish he is feeling making him stumble to his knees. It feels like the sun has disappeared behind a dark cloud never to be seen again. Champion feels it too, and no pillow or handlotion would cheer him up right now. Both Jacob and Champion are grieving, both awaiting the return of Leah Clearwater.

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**AN: Thank you everyone for the reviews. Keep reviewing!**

**That was the dreaded 'morning after'. I decided not to humiliate him too much, since his little heart is breaking...  
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	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Here comes a chapter from Rebecca's and Rachel's POV. Poor girls, it's not easy living with a teenage brother, especially one who is horny and obsessed with their best friend.  
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**THE REAL REASON WHY REBECCA AND RACHEL MOVED AWAY FROM HOME**

Rachel's blood is boiling. Not. Fuckin'. Again. This can't be happening. She has a date tonight with the hottest boy on the rez, and that annoying little piece of shit is occupying the bathroom. _Again!_

How many fuckin' times a day does he need to shower? He practically lives in the bathroom these days.

What the fuck is he doing in there anyway?

_Wait!_ _Stop!_ Don't answer that! Rachel really doesn't want to know what he does in there.

Unfortunately she can guess, and as on cue the moaning starts.

God! Not again! Doesn't that idiot get that they can hear him! Does he have to do this every time he showers?

"JAKE!" She pounds her fists on the door. "JAKE! GET OUT OF THE SHOWER! NOW!"

No reaction. Sure the groans might become more muffled but continue none the less.

"DAD!" She yells. "Jake has been in there forever again and soon there will be no hot water left and I have a DATE!"

"What the fuck are you doing Jake?!" Rebecca joins the yelling. "No more than 10 minutes in the shower! That's the rule!"

"DAD! TELL HIM!" They shriek in unison.

That fucker is going to use all the hot water too.

Some long moments later, just when their fists start feeling sore from the pounding, the door is opened by their idiot brother. With a towel around his hips, he is pushing past them, grumbling about not getting a moment of peace, but not looking anywhere near as annoyed as them. Actually he looks like he is in a pretty fucking good mood.

Fucking brat.

Him jerking off in the shower, that was so disgusting to think off. Shit, what if there was cum on the bathtub floor? Eww, no way Rachel would want to shower now with the risk of having to step on her little brother's jizz. It was bad enough having to wash his boxers and sheets. And then there was the matter of those lonely socks in his room, in his bed, socks that very suspiciously stiff and crunchy when touched. No way in hell would neither sister repeat the mistake of touching them ever again.

To make matters worse, things had started vanishing too. Like just last week, Rebecca could've sworn she had bought a new handlotion, and now it was gone. The conditioner was always out, and bloody hell, the cooking oil ran out twice as fast as normal, not to talk about all the tissues that kept on disappearing into thin air. Somehow they knew all of this had something to do with their annoying little brother and his "hobby". The sisters had believed that this obsession would blow over, but no, it was just getting worse.

Where all boys like this or was their brother just hornier than others?

Seth had according to Leah showed no signs of spending all his free time masturbating. Leah claimed Seth always ran out of the room shrieking in horror or covered his eyes if there was a sex scene on TV, and Leah was confident enough to vouch for Seth never using his hands to anything else than writing, drawing or playing Playstation.

Why couldn't they have a brother like Seth instead?

Seth was sweet and innocent, and the best with Seth was that he never talked back to Leah, he always did everything she said just the way she said it, unlike their little brother who always talked back and never did anything he was told!

Leah had laughed her ass off when she heard Rebecca and Rachel complain about Jacob's hobby. The good thing with Leah was that she never would tell anyone and never would humiliate Jacob, that was why both sisters knew they could always tell Leah everything. But of course, some things had to remain a secret even for her. Like the name that was heard mixed in their brother's animalistic noises. No way in hell would Leah ever hear about that.

That was the reason why they never invited Leah to sleep over at their house anymore, because they didn't want to put Leah through that kind of embarrassment. They can only imagine the scene she would make if she heard their brother's strangled cries of her name.

The sisters can't wait to move out, to get away and get their own place so they won't have to listen to muffled groans every fucking night and morning and afternoon for that matter.

It was slowly driving them mad.

It's not like Rachel or Rebecca had never masturbated, because of course they had, but the mood is totally ruined when you hear your brother panting and grunting on the other side of the wall.

Why couldn't he learn to keep quiet? They could, why couldn't he?

They cursed the thin walls between their rooms, because neither girl enjoyed hearing their brother groan at night. And they had heard him whisper the name of their best friends one time too many for their liking, making them almost start resenting Leah too, which was totally unfair since she couldn't help that their brother was an obsessed horny teenager and well on his way of becoming a sex maniac.

Their brother's night time, and to be frank, day time activities were such a turn off that both girls felt they were well on their way of becoming freakin' nuns spending the rest of their lives living in celibacy because their little brother completely ruined the joys of sex for them forever.

And then it fuckin' starts again.

"Uhmm, umph, Leah, Oh Lee" the stifled growls of their little brother carries clearly through the walls, ruining Rachel's mood completely before her date with the sexy Paul Meraz. There is nothing else to do than to call and cancel it! And then turn her music up loud. LOUD!

Rebecca can't concentrate on her studies, because no way in hell does she want to study biology right now, when her brother is humping like an animal on the other side of the wall. 'Fuck studying' she thinks as she bangs her head against the desk to make her stop seeing disgusting images in her head of her brother touching himself. Anywhere but here would be good! Anywhere, she would go anywhere to not have to hear this.

Why, why can't they have a normal brother instead? Yes, they love him to bits and pieces, but to keep from literally murdering him was becoming harder for each passing day and especially each night. Both girls are certain that their brother will improve vastly when miles away and since it's obvious he isn't going anywhere anytime soon, they come to the conclusion they it's best the two of them make their own escape.

Surely they will forget the nightmare of their brother's moans when the only way they can hear their brother's voice will be through the telephone.

Of course there is a way for them to be able to stay. Both girls are certain that if they could get Leah to release their brother form his misery it would put a stop to their brother's constant jackin' off. Leah should just dump Sam and fuck their brother instead. Sure Jacob was annoying as hell, but at least he was very devoted and passionate. Much more so than Sam any day. And by the sounds of it, their brother seemed to have plenty enthusiasm and a great stamina, which Leah could benefit from, especially since she told that the few times she had tried sex with Sam had been pretty awful.

First of all Sam's size had been less than impressive according to Leah. Jacob on the other hand was hung, a fact his sisters rather not know anything about, because seriously what sister wants to know anything about their brother's penis size? But to their great misfortune Jake's friends were even bigger idiots than him, or Quil was, to be more specific, and that was why they knew about their brother's size, simply because that was what Quil had been shouting about one day clearly audible despite the closed door to Jacob's room. "Seriously, your Champion is over 8 inches?! Whoa! You're hung like a horse! I have to measure my mine again, maybe I measured my wrong. I mean Gigantor could be bigger if I measure again, don't ya think?" Then the idiot had come running out from their brother's room with a measuring tape in his hands rushing into the bathroom.

Leah had also been very disappointed by Sam bustin' in his pants all the time before they could get anywhere, leaving Sam sulking and completely ignoring Leah's wishes to get some pleasure. That selfish bastard! And the only time he managed to put it in he had cum 10 seconds later, and fallen asleep straight after, and according to Leah he had kept his socks on the entire time. So un-sexy! By the way their brother went at his hobby they knew that he at least wouldn't fall asleep straight after. The dark circles under the girls eyes were evidence of that fact, since it was impossible to fall asleep when that horny idiot kept his right hand working long past midnight each night, starting over just when they thought he finally would be silent.

Unfortunately Leah for some unknown reason didn't seem to want to dump Sam anytime soon, despite all his faults. And yes, they were many, both Rachel and Rebecca agreed on that. He was so fuckin' boring and stiff, something many thought as signs of maturity, but the twins knew it was just his way of hiding his insecurities. He was always worrying about something and always trying to get Leah to tone down her opinions or act less wild because he was intimidated by her and simply couldn't handle her. Their brother on the other hand loved Leah exactly the way she was, he loved to challenge her and was just as loud and wild as she. Instead of trying to shush her down like Sam always did, their brother encourgaed her by riling her on. Their brother was carefree just like her and fiercely loyal, had a great sense of humor and was adventurous. Actually their brother was pretty great come to think of it, albeit annoying and with the major flaw of having picked a horrible hobby for himself.

Both girls sigh and look at each other. Yes, it was quite clear. Since the only other way to get their brother stop his "hobby" doesn't seem to be happening any time soon they will have to leave the rez as soon as possible.

Rachel picks up her school books and goes to study in the quiet of the garage, whereas Rebecca finds her feet carrying her towards the beach where some surfers are hanging out.

All the while their brother keeps on moaning in perfect bliss completely oblivious to his sisters silent suffering.

* * *

**Thanks for the reviews! Jacob is thinking about all of you while in the shower!  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Jacob is getting older, but not necessarily wiser... And he's heart is going to break, poor boy, he will need someone to comfort him!  
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* * *

  
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**SEA OF HEARTBREAK  
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"Who do you wanna fuck Embry?" Quil is once again talking about his favorite topic, the topic he talks about every day, all day.

As usual Embry blushes, "I, I'm, uh, I.." he stutters, throwing a fast hesitant glance at Jacob.

"You wanna fuck Jacob?!!" Quil bellows and starts guffawing.

"NO!" Embry shouts horrified, while Jacob smacks Quil in the back of his thick skull. Quil is such a moron sometimes.

Jacob does have a sneaking suspicion of why Embry looks at him like that. It's because he wants to have sex with the same girl Jacob wants to have sex with, the girl Jacob_ intends_ to have sex with, actually he is going to _make love to her_ and _fuck her _and all the other words to describe that wonderful exciting act that he and Leah will occupy themselves with every minute of the rest of their lives once they get together. Once she is his girlfriend, his lover and his entire world.

He can't really blame Embry for lusting after Leah, she is after all the hottest girl in the world, and Jacob knows that every male at their school would like to have sex with her. But understanding that doesn't mean that he likes the thought of someone else thinking of her. He hates it! Nobody but Jacob should be allowed to think of her or touch her! It makes him literally sick thinking of someone else with his girl, and that is the reason why he has been feeling so unwell and gloomy lately.

Stupid motherfuckin' Uley. Jacob wants to kill him! But most of all he wants to rush over an pull Leah from his arms every time he sees them together, and that's all they seem to be these days. Together, all over each other. For some reason Jacob tortures himself by watching them kiss, watching Sam molest her, but he is unable to stop. He hates Sam. He hates Sam's hands, he hates Sam's lips, he hates Sam's eyes and smirks and words. He hates how Leah lets him touch her, but rejoices when she slaps his hands away when they start to wander, and that is the reason, he tells himself, to why he watches, because what if Sam doesn't stop?! Then he will rescue Leah and beat up Sam! And then Leah will realize who she should be dating.

Jacob had refused to believe that Leah and Sam were dating at first when he heard of it. Then he had waited for Leah to realize it was a mistake, and break up with Sam, but now it had been almost two years and Leah still was holding Sam Uley's hand! How could she not see that Sam Uley was a boring self-centered jerk and completely and utterly wrong for her, while Jacob was the one who loved her more than anything in the world?

He had cornered Sam one day and told him that if he ever heard that Sam hurt Leah he would kill him. Sam had just laughed in his face and then smirked saying that he was happy Leah had such great friends as Jake who would look after her, because then he, Sam, wouldn't have to worry. Jacob felt like exploding when he heard that and saw the fake smile on Sam's face.

He had tried to tell Leah that Sam was an asshole, but she didn't listen and got mad at Jacob when he only told her the truth. Then he had tried to show her how much better he was than Sam, but that hadn't been successful either. He had actually cried in his room over the whole messed up situation more than once, but that was a secret no one except his dad knew about.

The thing that makes Jacob really angry and feel mad at himself is that he often finds himself in daydreaming of doing the things he has witnessed Sam doing to and with Leah. It angers him that Sam infiltrates his fantasies in this way, because Sam is everything Jacob hates.

"I just...I, I dunno.." Embry's embarrassed mumbling brings Jacob back from his thoughts.

"It's Leah! Admit it!" Quil continues inconsiderately. "I would bang Leah too, and Lisa, and Jessica, and Anna, and Katy, and Aimee, and..." Quil continues mentioning every girl in their school and even some of the younger teachers. Hell, he even considers having sex with the school nurse, and she's got to be at least in her fifties.

Jacob meets Embry's apologetic eyes in his beet red face, and even though Jacob feels enraged that Embry is thinking about Jacob's girl like that, he can't hate Embry. Embry is his friend, and he needs all his friends now that he is having such a hard time, and if Embry likes his girl all the better, because that means that he has an ally in hating Sam Uley.

"And I'll fuck your sisters too!" That's what makes Jacob break his eye contact with Embry as he growls, yes actually growls, at Quil who continues on rambling.

"If you ever mention sex and my sisters ever again in the same sentence I'll fuckin' beat your ass!" Jacob threatens.

Quil sensing Jake swallowing his bait continues, "But they're _hot _Jacob! Not as sexy as Leah. I would bang Leah together with your sisters.." Quil shrieks with laughter dodging the punch Jacob throws his way. Quil doesn't get that much farther in his attempt of riling up Jacob before he is pushed up against the wall.

Jacob knows better than to view Quil's words as anything other than stupid jokes, but it doesn't mean he appreciates Quil talking crudely about his future girlfriend and his sisters. If there is something Jacob doesn't like to think about is his sisters having sex, luckily they have moved away from home so he doesn't have to know anything about their sex lives. But that doesn't stop him from sometimes wishing he could send them to a convent.

"Fuck you Quil!" he wheezes, but this only makes Quil laugh more.

"I though you wanted to fuck Leah and not me!"

"Aaargh!" Jacob runs a frustrated hand through his hair letting go of Quil. Why even bother with Quil? Once again Jacob wonders how he can be friends with such an idiot. But then Jacob can't help but join Quil's laughing, and he knows that is one of the reasons why he is friends with Quil, because Quil manages to get him to break his wallowing in misery for a while.

"So I got this new porn flick?" Quil starts. "You wanna watch it?"

Both Jake and Embry shake their heads.

"You should try to get over her Jake, there are plenty of fish in the sea!" Quil tries. "Come on, it's much more fun watching it together!"

Quil has the biggest porn collection on the whole rez, and even the older boys like Paul and Jared sometimes gather at Quil's to watch the films. Jacob and Embry both used to watch those flicks fairly regularly at one point a couple of years ago, but never to the extent as Quil or with the same devotion as him.

Lately Jacob hasn't been in the mood at all, and honestly he has been finding the flicks boring for quite a long time now. It's always the same in the films, just flesh meeting flesh, in and out, back and forth, never a word of love or soft kisses or gentle caresses the way Jacob dreams of touching Leah. The sex in the films is raw and emotionless, nothing like he imagines making love to Leah would be like.

Embry never seemed to enjoy the porn that much either and of course they have never had an repeat of their activity while watching their first porn flick, the circle jerk, even though Quil had tried to get them to do that again and to play other games like jackin' off together to see who can shoot his cum the farthest. Quil had found a contestant though. Paul had been willing to compete in that, but since nobody wanted to come and watch the competition it never happened.

Jacob sighs as misery washes over him. Life really sucks.

Why didn't Leah love him back? He tried not to think of her, tried to fall out of love but it was too hard, completely impossible, because every time he saw her his heart exploded beating in a wild manic rhythm. His body became alive and he got giddy and tingly and happy just by looking at her. At night when he closed his eyes all he could see was her ebony hair, her bronze skin, as he imagined her hands traveling over his body and his hands touching her everywhere, of him being inside of her, so close that they become one and never would ever part again.

He does try to think of other girls, like the girl he met at the beach a couple of weeks ago. Bella. She seemed nice, not at all spectacular like Leah, but like a cute shy girl, a little different, which Jacob found slightly interesting, and she had _flirted_ with him. With him! That meant that girls did find him attractive and interesting. She had been older too, the same age as Leah, that just showed what he always had thought, that older girls could go with younger boys. He sighs again. Bella, should he maybe call her? Try to focus on her? Jacob slowly shakes his head realizing she never could measure up to Leah, and he doesn't want to go for second best. That's not really his style.

Miserably he tells his friends good-bye and starts heading home where he can be alone with his photos of Leah and his daydreams and ... uh... this new lotion that he bought. Besides he has these new things to explore, like last night he had done it with his left hand instead. Champion had got very refreshed by this change, enjoying his new sex partner, and the Chief and Wolfman had been thankful too, by the way his right hand was able to massage them in a different way, which had them in a very good mood. He can imagine how pleased his boys will be once it's Leah's hand fondling them. Oh how he wishes for it to happen soon. Soon!

"_Please Taha Aki"_, he prays._ "Please make Leah mine, make her dump Sam and be mine!"_

* ~* ~ *

The rumor spreads like wildfire, and as soon as it reaches Jacob's ears he is sprinting towards Sam Uley's little cottage. Jacob had been right all along, Sam was nothing but a pathetic weak piece of shit, just like his father. The jerk had hurt Leah, and now he would pay for that!

Sam's dumbfounded look as Jacob's fist connects with his jaw is priceless. He sputters and stumbles backwards, but doesn't fall. _Motherfucker', _that really hurt Jacob's hand!

"That's for Leah!" Jacob shouts and spits Sam in the face.

Sam does the strangest thing. He starts shaking like in rage, but instead of fighting back like a man, like Jacob wishes him to do, Sam bolts out the door, pushing past Jacob, and into the forest.

"Coward!" Jacob yells after his blurry form. What a pussy, running away instead of standing up and defending himself like a man!

Jacob casts a disdainful look at the scared girl running to the door. He recognizes Emily Young, the girl who had called Leah sister, but turned out to be nothing but a backstabbing whore. '_Slut!'_ He quietly calls in his mind.

"Jacob, what happened?" She asks staring wistfully after Sam. Jacob doesn't answer, instead he turns to leave.

"Jake! Wait! Do you wanna come in, I've made muffins?" She calls after him.

Jacob just keeps on walking. Like he would ever eat muffins made by someone who has a hand in hurting his girl. He doesn't even like muffins.

* ~* ~ *

He finds her sitting on the cliffs, at her special spot, a spot where she always goes when she has something on her mind or wants to be alone.

He doesn't really know what to say, hasn't planned anything except that he will hold her and she will cry into his shoulder and then she will realize that she loves him and thank him for defending her honor by kissing him and then she will become his girlfriend and they will live happily for ever after.

"Go away" she mutters gruffly without turning around. No, he won't go away. Would never go away when she is hurting and needs him. Instead he sits down next to her and wraps an arm around her. First she tenses, but after a while she relaxes, goes completely limp, like a rag doll leaning into him, sobbing hard. He puts both his arms around her and gently pulls her closer, until she's almost in his lap. One of his hands weaves into her hair, the other wrapping around her waist, drawing soothing patterns on her back, as he whispers that he is there for her, that he will always be there for her.

He doesn't know how long they've been sitting like this, but it feels good, it feels so right. He could keep on sitting like this forever. Slowly his strokes become more daring, and soon he finds himself pressing kisses to her hair, then moving his hands to gently cup her face so he can place kisses to her forehead, then her eyebrows, her fluttering eyelids, kissing her tear stained cheeks, her nose. Leah stiffens a little again, but all he can focus on is her full lips.

"Leah" he whispers hoarsely, pressing his lips against hers, letting out a small sound of satisfaction and hunger at the contact. _Finally! _He kisses her again, and again, and again. The ache in his body, the yearning only magnifying, making him pull her tighter and climb, press himself closer until she is underneath him laying on the smooth surface of the cliff, and he doesn't know how they got like this, all he knows is that he wants more, needs more. Always wanting to get closer, needing to get closer. Always closer. His body is alive, trembling and shivering with his need, with his want, with his love. At first she lies completely motionless, letting him shower her in hungry kisses on her face, on her neck, moving downwards to her collarbone and up to her lips again, letting his tongue run against her lips. That's when she hesitantly kisses back and Jacob can't help the hard moan that escapes him, can't hold any of the sounds in anymore, as he grinds his body against hers.

"Leah" he groans as he thrusts his hips roughly against her, showing exactly how much he wants her, throbbing with desire. _Please_ he wants to whimper, _please Leah_. _God Leah! Show me, teach me, touch me!_ _Mine! Be mine! Make me yours! _ as Leah's hands travel and caress his body. Each shared kiss leaving him little sated, starving for more. Always more. There is rolling and more kisses, and nothing is enough, nothing! He has been famished for such a long time, and he can't have enough. Clothes, he needs to get the clothes off, he needs to get closer. "You feel so fuckin' good" he manages to pant between kisses. Soon his hand is underneath her shirt, against bare skin, and that's when Leah wakes.

"Jake.." it's a warning, a protest, but Jacob doesn't register that. Doesn't register anything except how wonderful it all feels, how fantastic Leah's body is, how soft, and warm, and smooth her skin, how good she smells. How she finally will be his, _his!_, how she finally lets him love her, lets him show how much he loves her. He is intoxicated, drunk on sensations, high on Leah, because all he knows is Leah, all he can think and feel is Leah.

He feels like he has a fever.

He moans in response at finally hearing his name on her lips, like he has dreamed of so many times before, diving in to kiss her again, but instead of continuing their magnificent magical moment, his advances are rewarded with a hard stinging slap.

"Stop!" she whispers harshly prying herself out of his arms, sitting up, backing away from his reach, crossing her arms defensively around herself. "What the fuck am I doing?" she whispers to herself.

"Leah" he calls softly, crawling after her, bringing his hand to stroke her ruffled hair but she flinches, turns her head away from his touch.

"It's wrong! This is so wrong! God, I'm such an idiot." she mutters banging her hands against her head.

"It's not wrong, it's totally right. This is exactly how it is supposed to be. You and me!" he interjects smiling reaching for her hands. "Didn't you feel it too? I know you felt it too!" his eyes soft and wide, face eager, not being able to stop his eyes from traveling down to her lips. "I love you Leah!" he exclaims, happiness radiating from him as he starts leaning in for another kiss.

First she sits there stunned at his confession, unblinking, eyes frightened, looking so vulnerable Jacob instantly wants to take her I his arms and protect her, making him hesitate between kissing or simply holding her.

But before he has time to decide on his move she regains her composure, letting out a laugh, but not the kind happy laughs that Jacob associates with Leah, but a condescending sarcastic laugh that has Jacob frowning and his heart bleeding.

"And exactly how is it that you will "love" me?" she asks making air bunnies after snatching her hands back from his hold, scooting backwards again. "By trying to get into my pants?!" she yells, tears falling freely now, making Jacob's eyes water as well. _No, that's not..._

"If that is loving me according to you Jake, then I sure as hell don't want your love!" she keeps on shouting, rising to her feet. "You're just like all other boys, only after one thing! Talking about love when you really just want to fuck and then you leave to find something better once you got what you wanted!"

"That's not true! I would never leave you! I love you!" He grabs hold of her wrists pulling, making her stumble forward a little.

"You don't love me! That's not love. What do you know about love?! Nothing!" she barks snatching her hands back.

"I know what love is, and I love you!" he's not repelled by her refusal to see reason, that they belong together.

"You don't know anything! You're just a fuckin' kid, and con-fuckin-gratulations to you, you got to feel me up because I just got dumped by my boyfriend. Good for you! Now you can run and brag to your little friends about that!" she yells hysterically, her face twisting in an angry mask, making her almost unrecognizable to Jacob.

Death must be more merciful, of that Jacob is sure, than the hollow emptiness that fills him as he hears her words. He doesn't even bother to hide the tears falling from his eyes.

Then she is running, running away from him. Jacob stumbles after her, calling her name, trying to catch up with her, but she is too fast, and soon he finds himself out of breath outside her locked bedroom door staring at it like a fool when she doesn't come to open it, no matter how he pleas for her to.

"Jacob, let her be. Come back another time, son." Harry says and gently but firmly directs Jacob down the stairs.

He doesn't understand what he did wrong. All he did was manifest exactly how deeply he loves her, by showing how desperately he needs her, how much he wants her. Because isn't that the way to show someone you love them? It is, it must be.

The burning fire in his chest is _love_, the ache in his body is _love_, the yearning he feels is _love_. How can it not be enough?

* ~* ~ *

All week it's the same, and the next and the one after that, Leah avoiding him, and when he finally manages to corner her she angrily yells at him to get lost, calling him a stupid kid again, asking him what the fuck he thinks he is trying to do, refusing to listen to anything Jacob tries to tell her, to respond to anything he tries to show her with anything else than mocking words or hard slaps.

Why doesn't she feel it?! What is wrong with _her_?!

And quickly his hurt, his heartache, his desperation and loneliness turns to anger.

He's not a kid, he's almost 16. That Bella girl didn't think he was a kid, she thought he looked like 17. He is not a kid! He is the man who defended Leah, he is the man who stood up for her, he is the man who came to her defense! He was there to comfort her! Why can't she see that?!

After three weeks of having her stomping all over his heart, he angrily tosses all his pictures of her into a cardboard box and throws it in the back of his closet. He decides that he will never think of her again. Never!

He will think of other girls, like Bella. So when he takes a shower after angrily pounding on the punching bag hanging in their garage he thinks of Bella. But Champion doesn't seem to like the thought of Bella very much at all, no matter how he strokes him and feeds him images of Bella in sexy positions. That's why he starts thinking of other girls, like Megan Fox and Jessica Alba and sure enough Champion gets mildly interested, stiffening just enough for him to let his mind run freely. Big mistake! When his hand has reached a nice steady rhythm the images Champion enjoys the most infiltrates his brain and forces Jacob to break his resolution of never thinking of _her _again.

His mind fills with images of Leah laying on the cliff begging him to take her: "Please Jake, take me! Please Jake!"

"You're so big Jake. Oh, Champion! Jake, he's so perfect. I want him inside of me! Fuck me Jake. I want you inside of me! I love you Jake, I love you Champion!"

Champion gets extremely inspired as Jacob's fantasy becomes more and more animated, and images of Leah on her hands and knees as he pummels into her makes Jacob work his hand in a frantic rhythm. Jacob throw his head back in ecstasy as he once again moans her name, realizing his climax is going to be a colossal one mainly since he hasn't being doing this for over two weeks because of the depression caused by Leah's rejection. He bites his arm to keep the groaning in, because his dad is in the living room watching the game with Charlie Swan, but it's fuckin' difficult.

"TOUCHDOWN!" the TV commentator yells as Charlie Swan cheers while his dad mutters angrily, and that's the exact second Jacob erupts, letting out a victorious growl as Champion scores massively, spurting not once, not twice, but six fuckin' times. It makes his knees get weak enough for him to lose his footing and come crashing down on the bathtub floor with a ear cracking thud.

"What's he doing in there?" he hears Charlie whisper to his dad.

"I think his team just scored a touchdown!" his dad laughs.

"You alright Jake?" his dad calls and Jake mutters sheepishly in response stepping out from the steamy bathroom wrapped in his towel.

"I thought you were a Seahawk's fan like me Jake." his dad chuckles eyes twinkling as Jacob heads towards the sanctuary of his room. "Never thought you would be cheering when the other team scores."

"The boy has come to his senses and switched to the better team! A Cardinals fan just like me and Bella!" Charlie cheers.

_Bella, who is Bella?_ Jake thinks groggily.

"Here take my cap, you can wear it instead of those Seahawk jersey's you have now since you switched teams." Charlie says tossing him an offensive looking red cap with a stupid logo on. "Oh my, what happened to your arm Jacob? Son, it looks like a rabid dog has bitten you." Charlie says staring at his bruised skin where the outline of his teeth are showing.

"It's an exciting game, makes you bite your arm." he hears his dad laugh as Jacob slams the door shut to his room.

Stupid Leah, making him once again a victim of his primal urges and him a laughing stock. He will never think of her again. He swears this was his final slip. Never again! _Never!_

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**AN: Poor Jacob, but don't despair, things will become better...**

**I don't own Jacob or any other characters, I just control his thoughts and actions at the moment, thus promising that he will dream of each and everyone of you who review! And will also let you comfort him! So you better review if you want Jacob to visit you and cry in your arms!****  
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	7. Chapter 7

**AN: **

**Me: "_Jacob! Hey Jacob! Get out of the shower. You have to continue telling the story so I can write it down."_**

**Jacob (panting): "_But I'm busy. I'm fantasizing about those sexy girls."_**

**Me: "_What girls?"_**

**Jacob (still panting): "_The ones who reviewed this story. _(Moans) _Oh, they are so hot! _ _I want them all! _(Growls)_ They are mine!" _**

**Me: "_But what about Leah?"_**

**Jacob: "_Leah?!_ (sounds excited) _Okay, okay, I'm coming, let me just get my towel."_**

* * *

**CRAZED**

An amazing scent captures him when he reaches school grounds the first day he is back after his two week absence caused by his transformation. A transformation he rather not think about. Fuck, he hates everything about what he has become. He especially hates the idea of not being just any shapeshifter, but the supposed Alpha. The expectation of him following in the footsteps of his glorious forefathers make him rebel, like he always does when he is expected to do something he hasn't thought of and planned himself. That's one of the reasons he refuses the leadership that is offered to him, the other is the fact that he wants to refuse the whole wolf thing, but that unfortunately isn't possible.

Nothing good can come out of being a wolf he had thought, but now, smelling this wonderful scent... He closes his eyes and inhales deeply. _Heavenly!_ the boy in him thinks, and somehow familiar. _Female!_ the wolf registers. _MINE!_

_This one sensation is worth it all, the entire torture of being a shapeshifter! _He feels himself stiffen in response to the pleasure he experiences as the scent floods him. He tilts his head back barely able to stifle a groan. God! He needs to find the source for this intoxicating, alluring, mouthwatering scent. _Now! _

How can anything, anyone smell so good? It's overwhelming, it's everything to him. He does register that other females around him smell nice, but this one scent just floors him. It's wild. Sensual, seductive, sexual. Completely intoxicating, filling him with want. He wants this female. _His female_.

Her scent is calling to him, drawing him to her, so he follows it like a dog sniffing on a trail.

"Where are you heading Jake?" his babysitter, Embry, calls after him. "We have biology, you're going the wrong way. Jake? Jake! JAKE!"

Jacob doesn't have time with Embry now, he is on a mission. His sensitive canine nose catches an even stronger whiff of the female with the exhilarating scent when he enters the hallway, informing him of that his prey is close. He starts trembling as he charges forward to find the source of this delicious scent.

Embry believes it to be a display of lack of control and the need to shift that's making Jacob rush through the hallway with a wild look and deep low growls vibrating through his chest. He won't fail the mission Sam has given him of helping Jacob through his first weeks in school, so of course he runs after Jacob frantically scanning for Jared and Paul, because he senses the need of their help too.

Little does Embry know that the shaking is really caused by two wills battling in Jacob. The human boy against the male wolf. Reason against primal animal lust. Brand new to this double nature of his, with not enough experience to control the animal in him, the wolf wins. Of course it wins.

His feet carry him towards the scent, not caring that he pushes people roughly out of his way, not giving a damn about anything but reaching _her,_ whoever the source of this divine scent is. Needs to put his nose against her neck and breathe in her scent, to swim in it. To drown in it. To be one with this scent, and then rub his own scent all over her, mixing the two of them together.

_Claim her. Mark her. Mate her. _

No, he doesn't know whose scent it is. Doesn't care. Or to put it more correctly, the animal in him doesn't care, although somewhere deep inside of him the sixteen year old boy is apprehensive, worried and anxious. Because what if it is that annoying Kirsten in his history class, the know-it all, who he can't stand? Or one of his teachers? Or, the horror, the old lunch lady, who smells this good? What then? The human boy really doesn't want to mate with any of those mentioned.

But the wolf is pushing those human sentiments and the last bits of his human reason away. The wolf has already identified all it needs to know. A wonderful female calling to him, a female with supreme rank compatible with the wolf in him.

When he rounds the corner the scent surrounds him completely. She,_ his female,_ stands there in front of her locker, slamming the door shut. _Leah Clearwater_.

No wonder the scent was familiar. Who else can smell this good?! Both boy and wolf rejoice at seeing her, because she is a true feast for the eyes. She is majestic. A magnificent mate. The lupine and human thoughts mix in a whirl of emotions. Strong, healthy, loyal. Beautiful, sexy and smart. Her toned legs witness of her ability to run fast by his side. Her flawless skin a delight for him to caress. Her slender muscles testify of her ability to defend herself. Her ass perfect for him to squeeze. Her curvy hips speak of her suitability carrying his pups. Her round breasts a source of pleasure for him, and securing the nutrition for their cubs.

Deep down inside of him the human boy is confused. Excited by the heavenly scent and the thought of sex, but at the same time terrified. What the hell is he thinking? No sixteen year old thinks of babies, especially not in the form of wolf pups. He must be sick. Yeah, he must be going insane. Definitely mad.

The wolf isn't anything but desirous, wanting to procreate, to have a fitting partner securing the survival of his pack and his off-spring. And the wolf proves stronger than the boy. That's why he finds himself pressing his body against her back, pushing her against the lockers firmly but surprisingly gently considering the primal desires flaring in him.

She yelps in surprise at the massive heated body envelopes her from behind, losing her footing at the unexpected assault, but he steadies her, carries all of her weight in his strong hold.

"What the fuck?!" She is struggling against the vice grip, turning her head only to meet familiar eyes in a familiar face, but with a very unfamiliar look. Jacob's eyes are dark and stormy, like a wild animals. And what the fuck! Is he growling? And when the hell did he get this strong, and big?

One of Jacob's hand moves from her hips to circle her waist and the other brushes her hair to the side as he lowers his head and inhales deeply. Again, and again, and again. _Wonderful._

"Let go of me! What the hell are you doing!" she screams. "Fuckin' crazy idiot! Have you lost your mind?! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

She swears and yells trying to shake him off, but he is not budging. He is busy rubbing his cheeks and chin against her hair and the side of her face making sure his scent gets all over her. Her fragrance becomes even better that way, when he smells himself on her. His growls vibrate deeper when he feels a shudder run through her body at this contact. The growls are so deep the human ears don't catch them, but she feels them resonate through her body.

"God dammit Jacob! That better not be what I'm thinking poking my back!" she yells as catcalls and laughter erupt from the large crowd that has gathered to watch the show. The wolf doesn't care, all he cares about is here in his arms. His tongue flicks out, and then he runs it along her neck, tasting._ Delicious!_

A strangled gasp is heard from Leah when the unexpected wet and warm tongue trails across her sensitive skin. Jacob identifies a new aroma in her scent. He groans in delight as the pheromones emanating from her fill the air, telling she is responding to his want to mate. She is getting ready for him, even though she still struggles.

"Let go you creep!" she seethes, slightly breathless. She kicks backwards trying to hook her leg around Jacob's to get him to lose balance as she for the second time in her life uses judo movements outside the dojo. But her years of training isn't helping her any. He is impossibly strong and steady on his feet.

It only leads to him tightening his grip, molding their bodies even closer and then for him to graze his teeth across her skin reaching for the hollow between her neck and collarbone. He is getting ready for the next step in the show of dominance that the wolf recognizes is needed to convey the message to the stubbornly struggling female, to make her know who was in charge here, to have her submit and become his.

Somehow Embry, Jared and Paul manage to pull him of and away before it happens. Shaking Jacob finds himself at the edge of the forest.

"What the fuck are you idiots looking at? Get lost! The show is over!" Leah's angry screams echo from inside of the school building.

And then he is a wolf running around while frenzied thoughts whirl around in his head. Sam who always runs his shifts while the others are at school gets furious as he sorts through Jacob's crazed mind. And sure enough, he starts one of his lectures about self-control and imprinting, and other idiotic things Jacob doesn't want to hear anything about right now, since he only wants to get back to school and smell Leah some more. And taste her too. Yeah, definitely taste her! And touch. He needs to touch her. He wants her!

"_That's it Jacob! You're not going back to school until you can control those thoughts and urges. And stay away from Lee-Lee!" _Sam orders, voice heavy with the double-timbre of the alpha and with possessiveness.

Fuck Jacob hates that alpha voice! And Leah isn't Sam's! The female is his! Fuck Sam and his orders!

"_Maybe I imprinted on her." _Jacob interjects, thinking that Sam really shouldn't be ordering him away from her since Sam can't go more than four hours straight without seeing Emily. But to this Sam starts laughing in a condescending manner.

"_What the fuck's so funny?! How the hell do you know that I didn't imprint on her? I was fuckin' thinking of having pups with her."_ Jacob snarls, and is embarrassed of admitting the thought of wolf pups.

"_If you had imprinted on her Jake, then you wouldn't have been holding her like that against her wishes, trying to fuck her against the school lockers, because when you're imprinted your main concern is to protect her from harm and not harming her yourself." _Sam is putting it like Jacob already had hurt Leah or would've if his packmates hadn't pulled him off. _Idiot!_ Jacob isn't Sam. He would never hurt Leah.

Sam's hackles rise and he snarls ferociously as he reads this thought in Jacob's mind, but doesn't attack like Jacob wishes him to, because Jake sure as hell would like to have a good fight with the conceited idiot right now, the one who is getting in the way of him returning to his female.

Sam ignores the jibes and continues his explaining in that annoying patronizing manner of his,_"When you imprint you reciprocate the feelings of your imprint. You want to fulfill all your imprintees wishes and desires. Her wish is your command. And I'm sure Leah didn't want you to dry-hump her against the lockers, or have a fuckin' puppy with you." _The sadness that passes Sam's thoughts is disconcerting for Jacob. Somehow he gets the notion that Sam wouldn't be where he is, with Emily, wasn't it for Emily wanting and needing him to be her lover and man. But when Jacob tries to catch hold of that emotion and pry deeper, Sam makes sure the thought vanishes and locks that part of his mind tightly. Instead Sam displays sickeningly sweet images of mindlessly staring and worshiping Emily. _Gag!_ Jacob wants to throw up at these images of the perfect little muffin baking Emily.

Then Sam kindly informs Jacob, note the sarcasm, that Jacob's assault on Leah in the school hallway is caused by Jacob's immaturity, raging hormones, irresponsibility, ignorance, lack of any common decency, lack of self-control, as well as general horniness and once again immaturity.

Jacob is livid. What does that idiot know about anything? Who put him in charge?

"_You accepted it, you didn't want to be Alpha."_ Sam reminds him. _"And that might be the only sensible decision you've ever made, because you clearly show how unsuitable you would be for the task."_

"_Fuck you!" _and with that Jacob phases back to a human. He thinks Sam has once again proven to be a self-righteous jerk, but secretly he also wonders if Sam might be right. He knows he is childish in many ways and he sure is horny, really horny like all the time, but he wouldn't hurt Leah. Never would he ever hurt her.

* ~* ~* ~ *

Sam naturally informs the council of Jacob's supposed lack of control and dangerous behavior, claiming that Jacob had put Leah at great risk and that it would be only be a matter of time before Jacob would hurt someone. The fact that Jacob wasn't about to shift when he had her pinned, that it wasn't what his trembling indicated, isn't getting through to Sam. Sam is convinced Jacob would claw Leah's face or worse if let anywhere near her.

This leads to Jacob being called to retell everything about the events in front of the entire council. Never has he ever felt so mortified as when he has to describe the urges that were running through him to the entire council that includes his own father and, worse, Leah's father, Harry Clearwater.

"So you were thinking about how suitable Leah would be for carrying your _puppies_?" Harry asks raising his eyebrow.

Jacob nods gritting his teeth feeling heat start to creep up his neck, especially since he registers the mirth in the councilmens expressions. It's clear they are holding their laughter, even Harry.

"And you were trying to _domineer_ her, is that correct?" Old Quil chuckles.

Jacob has his pride and he hates when people laugh at him, especially when he is made a laughingstock because of something he doesn't understand how it happened or why it happened exactly, and really wasn't in his control. He clenches his fists and purses his lips, slightly shaking.

"See, this is what I talk about." Sam exclaims pointing at Jacob, "Even now in front of you, our honored council, Jacob can barely contain himself and his shifting. He's dangerous. He could've hurt Lee-Le-ah."

Jacob's shaking increases. He hates Sam, the fuckin' hypocrite!

Harry raises his hand and gives Sam a cold withering stare that quietens him. "Tell me exactly what you were thinking Jacob when you approached Leah?"

"I wasn't really thinking." Jacob mutters reluctantly. "She...I... she smelled so _good_! I just kind of reacted."

"He admits it himself. The boy never thinks. I'm sorry to say that Billy, but Jacob is far too impulsive and that makes him dangerous. As the Alpha it's my responsibility to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone. We can't have a shapeshifter acting on whims and being governed by animal instincts rather than using human logic." Sam interjects again.

"You will have your chance to speak Sam, but now we are questioning Jacob." Harry says sternly, annoyed by Sam's interruption.

Only a fool would open his mouth again out of turn when reprimanded by one of the councilmemebers, but clearly Sam is a fool, "But Harry, he could've hurt Lee-Lee, I mean Leah. He can't be allowed to go anywhere near her. He should be put in quarantine until he can control himself."

Jacob has always believed that Leah's ability to silence and kill with her glare came from Sue, but now he realizes that it stems from Harry, "I know Jacob and I know you Sam, and between the two of you I know who I rather trust my daughter with, and it's not you Sam. There is only one man here who has hurt my daughter and that man is _not _Jacob."

The look of shame on Sam's face is worth having to stand here in front of the council and being laughed at according to Jacob. He can barely hide his smirk at seeing Sam slump and cower like a scared dog with his tail between his legs. Unfortunately that doesn't stop Sam from opening his fat trap again,

"But Harry, you know it wasn't my fault. I would've never chosen to hurt Leah if I had the choice." he whines.

Harry might normally have the appearance of the kindest and most cheerful person on earth, but when he is pushed he transforms and becomes scary. Even Jacob has to admit that.

"A _man _has always a choice. Always! Maybe you couldn't fight the imprint, but they way you handled it was shameful. Having sex with Leah's cousin on the beach for everyone to see isn't the way a _real man_ would inform his girlfriend of him intending to break up with her, and then try to lie about it too when she confronted you instead of taking responsibility for your actions like a man. And don't think you have me fooled, I know you planned on trying to keep on seeing both of them. In my opinion you're a disgrace." Most people raise their voice when angry, but Harry lowers it, and that makes it even more intimidating.

"I was opposed to Leah dating you from the beginning, because I've always seen right through you. What I see when looking at you is still a scared little boy trying to hide his lack of backbone and heart behind big words and a mask of politeness, but I know what you are. I let her date you only because I believe my daughter should be allowed to make her own decisions and mistakes. But now I do regret it, because you hurt her. You might be the Alpha of the wolves _for now_, but when it comes to my daughter you have no say in the matter. I'm just sad I didn't get to witness her beating you up myself but had to rely on the reply from my son."

If Jacob was shaking and giving a display of bad self-control earlier according to Sam, it's nothing to the quivering Sam shows hearing Harry's tirade. The entire floors rattles as he shakes. Jacob barely manages to get Sam out before he shifts, destroying half of the porch in the process.

That pretty much puts an end to the meeting, and Jacob goes to sit in the car to wait for his father. He can hear his dad, Old Quil and Harry Clearwater whisper together and throw glances in his direction. He only manages to catch snippets of their hushed whispers in Quileute. Jacob speaks and understands Quileute well, probably better than any of the other packmembers, but the speed and the old words the men use make him confused even when he is able to catch parts of what they are saying.

_Alpha... In his nature... stronger ... Leah... First wife... The legend ... In the wild... Couple... Mating habits... Instinct... Ephraim and Mary Black... No imprint... Breaking it... Better of...  
_

Then they stop and Harry starts pushing his father's wheelchair towards the car and Jacob gets out to help.

"Son..." Harry puts his hand on Jacob's shoulder, smiling. "Try to control those most primal urges of yours when around my daughter, would you? She is having a hard time right now and she really needs a _friend_. You two always were such good friends when you were younger. Work on that. No more tries to mate with her!"

Jacob blushes and looks away. He really doesn't like to have this conversation with Harry, isn't at all comfortable with the fact that he knows everything about Jacob's desire to bed his daughter.

"Don't worry Jake, I trust you and I know my daughter can fend for herself and she won't let you do anything she doesn't want you to. Just drop the trying to domineer her part... for a while at least. Although I admit that she needs a little taming." Harry adds laughing and walks to his own car. "I wish you will come to your senses soon and claim your Alpha position!" he calls over his shoulder.

His dad chuckles too when Jacob helps him in the car, "You know Jake as I can recall these desires of yours towards Leah aren't exactly new. Maybe becoming a shapeshifter just made them stronger? Come to think of it, they were pretty strong before you shifted too. I guess I have to buy more multipacks of Kleenexes, maybe some of that lotion that always keeps running out too. I guess I'll invest in a multipack of condoms too." his father's eyes are twinkling mischievously. "Don't give me that look, son! You're the one who used to talk about giving your body as a gift to Leah, I remember. I'm just making sure you have the right kind of wrapping. I rather not be a grandfather to a litter of puppies just _yet_."

Jacob doesn't answer, only mutters angrily and slams the car door shut with far too much force.

* ~* ~* ~ *

Jacob already hates being a shapeshifter, but now he hates it even more. Remembering Leah's scent he wants to claim the Alpha position, so he can defy Sam's order of not going anywhere near her. She is his! But at the same time he doesn't want to be the Alpha. He just wants to be a regular guy, having a normal life.

When he thinks of Leah, while safely away from her bewitching presence, he feels enraged, because he refuses to be a fuckin' animal controlled by the testosterone flowing in his body. He is not an animal! It must be something wicked she does that makes him behave this way, because other females don't have this effect on him! She is forcing him to want her. It's her fault! Stupid evil wonderful bewitching Leah. She calls out to the wolf in him in ways he can't understand, doesn't want to understand, doesn't want to feel.

Who is he trying to fool? He loves to feel the way he does when close to her, wants to feel it again. But he convinces himself that he hates it, because if anything, he is stubborn and he had decided to never think of Leah some six months prior. And this sure as hell has him thinking of her, far too much. All the time in fact. Sure his resolution of never thinking of her hadn't worked that well before either, but now it's completely useless.

He finds himself more than once staring at Leah's window at the end of his patrol when the wolf adrenaline is still running high inside of him, debating charging in, throwing her over his shoulder and bringing her to his bed, where she belongs according to the wolf in him.

That's exactly why he tries to spend all his time with Bella, safe asexual Bella, who doesn't inspire animalistic thoughts and instincts in him. Bella, who he can imagine kissing without images of fucking or mating with her popping up in his mind. Bella, who he never dreams of pinning under him until she begs for him to take her, never dreams of trying to make her submit, never dreams of domineering her. He can think about Bella, and also touch her and smell her – and she really doesn't smell alluring at all, she smells a lot like paper - without his body showing the slightest tendeny of getting urges of any sort. With her he is not a slave to his lusts, since he doesn't have any lusts in her presence. And that makes him feel safe, makes him feel human, makes him forget everything about being some stupid mythological creature. That's why he hangs out with Bella so much. Besides, Bella likes him, a lot, he can tell. The signs are all there. She constantly talks about how he is her personal sun, gives him compliments about his looks, holds his hand and shows how much she likes him touching her. She keeps stumbling to have an excuse for leaning against him or have him carry her, she loves when he walks shirtless and he often catches her ogling him and once she was even drooling. She cries and whimpers so he will hold her and comfort her and he can feel how she breathes in his scent, and he can smell how she gets aroused by his presence. That certainly boosts his ego, which to be honest really doesn't need boosting, except when it comes to Leah who always manages to make the human Jacob a little bit insecure. It feels great to be wanted, and that's why he decides that he will like Bella instead of Leah so he can forget the nightmare of the wild animalistic urges Leah inspire in him. With Bella he will be able to act like the perfect gentleman. Sure he isn't in love exactly, but he likes her and...

_That sure as hell will show Leah what a mistake she made to let him go!_

_

* * *

_

**AN:**

**Jacob (still only wearing his towel):**_** "Did you like it? Tell me. I want to know. Some claim I belong to S Meyer, but I can be YOURS, if you want me! I get so excited to hear from YOU. The reviews makes me want to... go to my room... and...uh... busy myself...uh...with my hands. Yeah, my hands... like... uh...carving and such. (Mutters to himself) Carving, that's a good excuse, right? They won't figure out what I'll do. (Catches the scent of his favorite reviewer – AND YES, THAT'S YOU! - takes the lotion and Kleenexes with him and runs to his room locking the door.) **_

_**(calls from behind his locked door): "I'll be back another day, I'm busy now!" **_


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:  
**

**Billy: "Jake! Jacob!"**

**Jacob (whining): "Dad, not now. I'm busy!"**

**Billy: "Put the lotion away and stop browsing pictures of your reviewers. We have guests. The readers are here and want to meet you!"**

**Jacob (excited): "The readers?! I'm coming right away! I especially love my reviewers. I've been thinking about them all week, especially when I've been..er...uh...exercising. (Shouts) I coming!"**

**

* * *

  
**

**THE NAKED TRUTH**

Jacob sighs and stretches, turning to look at the clock. It's time for patrol. He's usually assigned for afternoons, evenings and early nights together with Quil and Embry, and today is no exception. At least he won't have to listen to Sam or Paul, both who Jacob can't stand. Jared is alright, except for his constant sappy thoughts of Kim. Jacob is happy to patrol with his friends. Embry's mind is gentle and quiet, whereas Quil is a great distraction from Jacob's own tortured mind where thoughts of Leah keep popping up constantly, even when he tries to not think of her, not to long for her, not to fantasize about her.

They are running the perimeter and for some reason Jacob insists on taking the route that passes the school grounds. As he nears he can pick out feet running, girls shouting and occasional cheering. But one pair of lightly running feet, one voice stands out making his heart thud faster.

"_It's the girls soccer team, there's the game tonight against Forks high." _Quil excitedly thinks, _"Let's go check them out! I like soccer girls, they wear shorts and have nice legs and when they score they go crazy and might take their jerseys off." _And then they all have the privilege of sharing Quil's fantasy of the girls soccer team stripping and hugging each other, and then starting to make out with each other. Like that would ever happen. _"But it could!"_ Quil hopefully states, making both Jacob and Embry roll their eyes.

"_I like the volleyball outfits better. And swimsuits. Swimsuits are great. Girls should be wearing swimsuits all the time. Or bikinis! That would be even better, girls should wear bikinis as a school uniform. I would enjoy school then! If I was the principal I would make a rule of girls having to wear bikinis to school."_ Quil rambles on.

"_Jake, Quil! We can't go and watch the game. We're supposed to patrol" _Embry protests, but Jacob is already running at full speed towards the trees bordering to the field. Jacob has always watched every single game the girls soccer team played, although for the last six months he has not been sitting at his usual spot closest to the field, but been standing half-hidden by the side of the bleachers. Today he'll have to watch completely hidden in the woods, but he's not gonna start missing games now just because he has to patrol.

"_Looking don't hurt anyone!"_ Quil answers Embry who still is trying to get them to go back to their patrolling. _"No-one will see us."_

"_Doesn't Leah play soccer? Jake, it might not be the best idea..." _Embry tries for the last time, but now Jacob's entire attention is on the field and one particular female as he stalks closer to the edge of the forest.

He loves watching Leah play, she is such a natural force on the field and she always looks so happy when she is charging after the soccer ball. She glows when she is playing and Jacob loves seeing her shine, loves seeing her exceed and win.

Her scent drifting towards him from the field is even better now when he is in wolf form, it's richer, more potent, even more intoxicating. He can almost taste her in the air when he lets his tongue loll out trying to catch her scent on the tip of his tongue. God, he wants to soak in this scent. The more he lets himself revel in it, the more the human boy gets pushed aside for the male wolf and soon Jacob finds himself stretching out on the forest floor and rolling around imagining rolling himself in her scent, all the while making strange whining sounds mixed with low growls.

The scent is getting to his head, overwhelming him. He's already panting heavily, when he stops his rolling and settles down to watch several females running on the field, but none of them are worthy of his attention. He only has eyes for one female, _Leah_._ His _female, _his beautiful mate_. She is shouting orders to the other girls on the field, like the alpha female she is, commanding the other lesser ranking females in her pack. She is the most agile, the brightest shining star, outshining all the other girls on the field, outshining every girl in the world, because she is _his girl_, the _only_ girl for him. The russet wolf rejoices at seeing his female in action, seeing her commanding and domineering all the other females on the field. She will be wonderful by his side! Her natural authority will help her in keeping his pack in check, leading the pack together with her will be pure joy.

"_Are you planning a mutiny? Not that I would mind, I'd rather you lead us than Sam, but I don't think I want Leah to order me around. She'll boss me around and probably would make me do my homework and clean up after myself." _Quil whines after picking the thoughts in Jacob's mind, but Jacob doesn't answer. He's busy watching his female run around, sweat glistening on her smooth copper skin. With his heightened eyesight he is able to distinguish every single bead of sweat trickling down her skin. He watches fascinated as perspiration seeps down her neck and trickles down under her jersey. Images of his tongue following the path down to her chest fills the mind-link having all three wolves excited at the pictures Jacob creates in his head.

He wants to taste her! He wants to lap the sweat off her skin, but more than that he wants to be _the one _who makes her sweat, he wants to be _the one_ who makes her cheeks flush even pinker than the slight blush that is showing on her face now. He wants to be _the one_ who inspires her to pant like she is right now when she is running on the field, but he wants it to be _from him_ laying on top of her and moving in sync together with her in a wonderful rhythm, he wants to have her writhing _underneath him_ and moaning _his_ name. He wants her! He wants her now.

"_Shit Jake! You're mind is almost as good as porn! You just should add some images off her kissing her teammates and it would be perfect!_" Quil comments and starts imagining all the soccer players naked fondling each other. Jacob growls a warning, trying to get Quil to back off from his mind, but no matter how he tries Jacob can't stop the lustful images and longing thoughts forming in his own head as his gaze travel over Leah's long legs, thinking about sweeping his tongue over them, lapping and nibbling his way up from her ankles, to her calves, over her thick thighs, reaching the place he wants to lavish his long moist tongue the most. Imagining lapping every inch of her, wanting to taste every part of her. He crawls even closer to the field, hardly able to resist the need to be closer to her, to reach out and touch her and try all these things he has imagined doing to her.

"_Jake!" _Embry warns, _"You're too close, someone might see you!"_

But Jacob doesn't heed the warning, because he is entranced watching Leah chase after the ball nearing the edge of the forest where Jacob lies hidden._ Is she coming to him?_ The russet wolf's tail wags wildly at seeing his female approach and he can't help the excited bark that escapes him. The sound has Leah halting and turning her head towards the forest. She squints her eyes searching the trees. Her eyes lock with his for a brief second, and Leah becomes stock-still, staring, her heartbeat quickening clearly audible for all three wolves.

"_Shit, she saw you!"_ Embry panics._ "Jake, we gotta go back into the forest! Quick!"_

"Leah! Run to the left!" one of the girls on her team shouts, and Leah wakes from her trance, turning back to the game. She throws one last quizzical glance towards the trees, before she starts to run again. Running, stopping and then running again, but every once in a while turning back to the forest, eyes scanning the trees. It looks like she is dancing as she runs, stops and how she turns around again and again to look into the woods. A dance only for him, for Jacob, for the male wolf!

The russet wolf is completely roused, pulse racing, ears perked up, body tense and ready as he follows her every movement, his head tossing and turning in time with her motions. The explosion of desire in his body makes him whimper loudly, pushing human logic and sentience completely aside filling him with pure animal instinct, animal lust and animal knowledge.

What the russet wolf makes out from the game he watches is completely different from what the human boy was making of the scene in front of him. The wolf is sure he knows the game the female is playing. The female wants him to come and chase her and try to capture her! She is enticing him. She wants him to prove that he is the best male. That is why she is running and stopping and glancing into the woods, dancing around like that. The female is playing the mating game. With him! The game of chasing and catching, the game of conquer and surrender, the mating dance.

The russet wolf is beyond thrilled, practically bounces with excitement, tail wagging, the whining turning into deep rumbling growls, but luckily not loud enough to carry onto the field or the crowd gathered to watch the game.

Oh, he is coming! _ Female! Mine! Chase! Catch! Make MINE! My mate!_

"_Jake! Jacob! Don't!" _Embry tries to stop him, but the russet wolf doesn't care about anything except his female right now and the game she is inviting him to play. She is waiting for him! She wants him to come and chase her! And how he wants to chase her, catch her, to mate with her.

He lunges forward, shifting into his human form mid-step. It will make it easier to mate with her. But despite the transformation to his human form he is all male wolf, all instinct, all animal desire at the moment.

A very naked Jacob breaks through the trees, onto the field, eyes locked on his prize, _his female_, who still is running, who hasn't noticed him yet.

His female is fast, very fast, but the wolf likes that. It confirms that she is the best female! And she doesn't have to worry, because he is fast too and will be able to catch her no matter how fast she runs. He will always be able to catch her. When he has proved how fast, strong and dominant he is, by catching her and having her submit to him, she will want nothing more than to mate with him. He is the strongest, most courageous and smartest male and she is the fiercest, most vigorous, and best female and that will mean their offspring will be intelligent, strong, healthy and have the best chances of survival. All females want to create offspring like that, the wolf knows this.

"Oh my god!" shrill screams fill the air. The gasps from the girls on the field, from the scarce audience sitting on the bleachers and the referee are quite audible, "Look!" " He is streaking!" "He is so hot!" "What on earth is going on?" "There's a naked man on the field!" "A streaker!"

"It's Jacob Black!"

As he runs crossing the field laughter is bubbling in him from the sheer thrill of the chase, from the excitement of this wonderful game he is playing with his female. His female is still running quite oblivious to the commotion around her, but once all other players stop moving, she halts as well, turning to look around at her team mates who all stare at the very naked, very muscular man running towards them. Or rather towards Quileute Tribal Highs team captain, Leah Clearwater.

The referee blows the whistle in a futile attempt to stop the naked man running cross the field, but he is not stopping. Will never stop until he has caught his mate. Jacob is closing in on Leah who stands frozen and stares in disbelief. His eyes are taking in the way her pupils dilate as her eyes travel over his naked form, notices how her cheeks turn three shades darker, how her heartbeat accelerates and how her chest heaves as her breathing goes ragged. The wolf triumphs at all these signs that tell the tale of her responding to him and his show of supreme masculinity. The whining and growling noises escaping him become more urgent as his eyes leaves her face to linger on her neck where he soon will mark her as his, moving to her chest where his eyes stay for quite a while thinking about taking her perked nipples into his mouth, of palming her breasts, then traveling down to her flat stomach that soon will be round with his puppies, raking over her curvy hips downwards trying to sniff if she is showing signs of being ready of having him inside her, of her becoming one with him. Finally finishing by sweeping over her slender long legs. He notices the nervous twitch in her muscles giving away her readiness to flee. The wolf knows she is about to break into a run any second now, so he prepares to pounce forward. He won't let her escape, he will never let go of her once he has captured her in his strong hold. He is growling and puffing his chest to signal his alpha status to her, to signal his dominant position, to have her submit more readily as he starts to circle her.

Jacob is merely a few yards away when two things happens at once. The first is a man running on to the field from the audience, a man the russet wolf recognizes. It's his female's father, her current pack leader.

"Jake!" he hollers. "Jacob Black!" His shouting making Jacob falter a little in his steps, turning his attention to the older male, tilting his head reading the older males body language. His female clearly still belongs to her father's pack. But the russet wolf wants to form his own pack together with her. She is ready to leave her father's pack, to leave the den. The wolf knows this, but does the female's father know it? How can the young wolf make him realize that? How can he have the older male give up his daughter? Will he have to challenge the father for the female? The wolf ponders while doing his best to puff out his chest even more, to stand his ground and try to tower above the older male who is approaching him with a calm collected look on his face. The old male is at ease and that makes the young wolf relax too. It's apparent the other pack leader holds a lot of authority and the young male respects those signs in him, but that doesn't mean that he won't try to make the female his. But the young wolf also recognizes that with this male it will not be about physical brawl, but a psychological one that will determine the outcome of his attempts to win the female.

At the same time two other men burst out of the forest onto the field. One in the buff just like Jacob, the other buttoning his cut-offs on while they run after him yelling.

"JACOB!" the one with the cut-offs yells. It's Embry. "Come back!"

The other naked male, Quil, looks at the girls on the field, smiling widely at them, starting to run around in circles, waving his hands in the air as he lets out shouts of pure joy and ecstasy, completely forgetting his task to bring back Jacob to the forest.

The wolf who listens to the name of Jacob turns his head in the direction of the new noise, to assess the two other males who have joined him on the field. _Are they trying to come and take his female? _The wolf won't allow it. The female is _his_! They can't have her. That is when he knows how to do it, how to convince his female's father what an excellent partner he will make for her. He will do it by chasing these rival males off this field. That will show how fast, strong and heroic he is. He will defend his female from the threats of these inferior males, that will make the old male more willing to lether go. He will show his female's father that he is the only male worthy of her!

Jacob makes a sharp turn and runs back towards the two other males, growling to get the rival males to back away from the chase, from his female, his mate. The female is an alpha female, and the other two aren't alpha wolves. He is! Therefore the female is _his_! How dare the other males approach the field?! His feral and intimidating stance will surely impress the female's father, he will see that his daughter will be in excellent care once Jacob catches her, makes her his mate and forms a pack together with her.

Embry takes one look into Jacob's wild eyes, turns quickly around and yanks Quil by the arm to get him to run back towards the forest, hoping for Jacob to follow. Quil reluctantly does this, but only after a quick glance at Jacob's savage posture, and still he takes the time to blow a few kisses to the girls on the Forks soccer team. Now the three naked, or nearly naked since Embry at least had sense enough to pull on his cut-offs, run back into the forest, as the crowd gasps, cheer and laugh.

As their reach the safety of the forest, all three phase immediately, Jacob sinking his teeth in Quil's hind leg as a warning to stay away from his female, and Quil howls more in fright than in agony.

"_Jacob! Get a grip of yourself!" _Embry thinks sharply, almost commanding, and somehow the human boy in him starts to wake, as from a long trance, whether it is from Embry's tone or Quil's howl.

"_Shit! I'm sorry Quil!"_ Jacob thinks horrified, as he sees himself reflected in the minds eye of his two friends. _What the hell was he doing? God dammit! He is fuckin' fucked!_

"_Man, that was so much fun!"_ Quil laughs letting out weird barks and rolling around in the dirt. _"That was the best idea you ever had Jake!"_

Jacob is completely horrified. _Why is he constantly making a fool of himself? What the hell is wrong with him? He is fuckin' crazy! What the hell would Leah think of him now?! And Harry? Oh god, he has embarrassed himself completely in front of Leah. Shit, there definitely is something wrong with him. Something very very wrong._

_What would he have done once he had caught her? _Slowly the actions Jacob has undertaken catch up with him. _Why the fuck does something go wrong every time he sees Leah?_ He tries to shake his big wolfish head once again. _Fuckin' hell, he has really lost his mind! _

It doesn't take more than a minute until a new consciousness fills their mind-link. Sam. He has heard Quil's howl.

"_What the fuck are you doing?!"_ Sam berates as he tries to read their minds, and unfortunately Quil's mind is like an open book, not that Jacob can blame him for that, but he really doesn't want Sam to get any more proof for his stupid theories about Jacob. Jacob does feel more like his human self, but still feral enough to deliberate answering the son-of-a-bitch impostor alpha by biting him in the flank.

"_You left patrol. What if there had been a vampire on our territory? Do you realize that you nearly exposed our secret?! Do you realize how serious this is Jacob?!"_ Sam continues his scolding.

"_Classic man! Classic!"_ Paul joins the mind-link chuckling. "_Damn! The look on those girls faces was priceless! Shit, I wish someone filmed that!"_ Surprisingly Paul had been in the audience watching the game, apparently he has something going on with one of the Forks players and was going to hook up with her later. _"Wait, I did film that! I'm gonna put it on Youtube!"_

"_Man, streaking is so much fun!" _Quil laughs. _"Some of those girls looked like they wanted to attack Jake right then and there! I think they looked at me the same way. Don't you think so too? Do you think one of them will go out with me? I bet they all want me now! Damn! I should've asked for their numbers. They could've written them on my body._" Quil adds and already imagines streaking at a cheerleading contest and having all the cheerleaders fighting about taking him under the bleachers.

"_Quil!" _Sam barks._ "No-one runs anywhere naked ever again!"_

Quil is looking very disappointed, whining in protest, but Sam's pissed off look quietens him.

"_Jacob! This craziness has to stop! I don't care if the council claims you aren't dangerous. You clearly are. I'm gonna address the issue of you needing to be put in quarantine again and you will not under any circumstances go anywhere near Leah EVER AGAIN! With or without clothes. Is that clear?!"_

Jacob is furious phasing out so he won't have to hear Sam's idiotic thoughts or orders. Sam can't keep him away from Leah! He has no right! _Wait, what is he thinking? Hasn't he himself decided not to go near Leah or even think of her! Man, it's all so confusing. And he was so close to catching her too! A few more steps and he would've had Leah in his strong hold and he would've never let go. Never! _

* ~ * ~ * ~ *

He is furious when he comes home. Alternating between thinking of him really being crazy and needing to be sent to an asylum, to thinking that Sam is a fuckin' idiot and about how close he came to catching that wonderful female known as Leah Clearwater, then bouncing back to thinking about what a fool he has made of himself once again, to imagining holding Leah in his arms. _What the __hell is he thinking? _He is such an idiot, maybe even a worse idiot than Sam.

"Jake?" his dad is eying him carefully but with slight amusement visible in his dark eyes. Jacob can tell that his dad wants to talk. Jacob doesn't feel like talking. At all!

"I had a call from Harry, and from the girls soccer team coach. Something about you streaking!"

Jacob clenches his fists and tries to subside his fuckin' shaking. His dad better not make a joke right now.

But as always his dad is very good at reading Jacob moods, "You want to talk about it?" his dad calmly asks instead.

"No." Jacob mutters, but he _does_ want to talk about it. Really does because this is driving him insane, "I don't get why this happens! Every fuckin' time! It's not natural what she does to me! She makes me do these crazy things and feel things I can't even describe." he draws in an unsteady breath and continues raving, "Sam claims I'm dangerous, what if I am? I most definitely am losing it! I was fuckin' thinking of wolf puppies again! It's crazy! I don't want puppies. And now Sam says I can't go anywhere near her! I fuckin' hate Sam! I won't hurt her. Ever!" he pauses.

"What if I would hurt Leah?" Jacob asks after some silence, his voice only a whisper now, as he feels misery wash over him at the thought of hurting Leah.

His dad has listened patiently to his outburst, face unreadable, "Jake, I think your reactions might be completely natural considering your wolf nature, maybe a little bit too natural. I talked to Harry, and we disagree with Sam's approach. And yes, Sam called me too. But he is not the one running the council or our nation, even though he tries to act like it. I and Harry came to the conclusion that it's best we expose you to Leah as much as possible instead of the other way around. So you learn to control your wolf around her. We're starting tomorrow. We'll go there for dinner!"

Jacob doesn't really know how to react to these news or his father's and Harry's plan, isn't sure it's a really smart plan at all. Maybe he should do as Sam tells him and move out and live somewhere deep in the forest instead? Maybe that would make everything easier? Of course he probably would have to stay there indefinitely, and he really doesn't want to spend the rest of his life in the woods.

"Trust us Jacob. It'll be alright, I know you can learn to control it. Both Harry and I have faith in you. You aren't dangerous, you haven't tried to harm Leah in any way. And you won't either. I know Sam tries to angle it like you would lose control over your desires and force her to do something she doesn't want to, but I know you Jake and you aren't like that, and I know animals. No animal male ever mates with a female who doesn't respond positively to his advances. Only humans are capable of rape and only those humans who are callous and want to show their power over someone else by hurting that someone, and none of the things you have been feeling or doing are pointing in that direction. If Leah would show you that she tries to repel your advances you would stop, right?"

Jacob nods gravely. He knows he would never take it down that dark path, knows that he would cease all advances the second Leah showed him that she wanted him to stop. Sure maybe he is confused about himself at the moment but deep down he knows this. He knows he never takes anything by force, never has and never will. Not even as a kid in the sandbox did he ever steal an other kids shovel or bucket. And he never would hurt anyone intentionally and never her! Never her!

"I'm fuckin' confused. I don't know what went wrong. Everything used to be so easy. It's like I don't know who I am anymore or what I want." Jacob sighs miserably raking his hands through his too shortly cropped hair. How he wishes it to grow back. How he wishes to things be like when he still was a kid.

"I think you know exactly who you are and what you want in _your heart_, and I believe it's the same thing it always has been, but you just are fighting so hard against it for some reason. You should listen to your heart and let it guide you, just like when you were younger. Your heart will never lead you astray."

Jacob swallows hard hearing his father's words, feeling the ache in his heart, an ache that has been magnifying the past six months, past weeks, becoming almost unbearable these last days. It hurts. His heart has been telegraphing a message to him, a message he has trying his hardest to ignore, to not to listen to, not to hear. Only has he been listening to it when in animal form, because as an animal the human side that feeds him human reasons and human lies isn't there confusing him from the natural path his heart wants him to follow, the path his soul and body wants him to take.

"Sometimes we head down the wrong route, but that doesn't mean that it can't be fixed, and if anything Jake you have always been good at fixing things. So whatever you have been doing wrong you should try to correct that. Maybe it will take some time and will require a lot of patience, and maybe you will have to swallow your pride too, but doing the right thing will be worth it."

His father's words ring true in Jacob's ears, he just doesn't know what he is supposed to do. Or maybe he does, but he doesn't know how to do it.

"It'll be alright Jacob." his dad adds. Jacob only sighs, feeling anxious about the dinner tomorrow, but strangely hopeful in a way he hasn't felt in his human form for a very long time.

"There are left-overs in the fridge if you want, or you could order pizza. I already ate." his dad smiles. Jacob isn't particularly hungry, but he eats anyway.

* ~ * ~ * ~ *

Laying in his bed that night Jacob tries to think of how to fix these things that are wrong, tries to think of how to follow his heart, tries to accept what his heart tells him. All his thoughts and feelings seem to lead back to the same source, the source he has tried to block from his mind, tried to ignore._ Leah. _He needs to fix things with her, even though the way things are isn't completely his fault. Or is it?

Thinking of her once again the, to the human boy so horrifying thoughts, of puppies and his wolfish images of Leah's swelling belly pop up in his mind. He really doesn't want to have puppies _now_, but somehow he finds the thought a little bit appealing, like maybe later, a couple years or say ten or fifteen years down the road, he wouldn't mind a baby. Not a puppy, but a human baby. As he imagines that baby, it somehow ends up having Leah's eyes, and Leah's nose and dimples, but his smile.

These thoughts leads Jacob to open his nightstand drawer and look at the box of condoms his dad bought him. He had felt affronted at first when his dad handed the box to him, especially when his dad had suggested that Jacob might not need them for quite a while, maybe even for years. That really made him feel offended, but now he feels grateful he has them if he gets the chance to use them, even if it will be a while until he has the opportunity. He really would like to put them to use as soon as possible but since he knows exactly with whom he would like to use them, he can't be sure it will happen anytime soon. Will she ever want him? He doesn't want anyone else. He only wants her. How can he make her want him too?

To his utter embarrassment his dad had insisted on demonstarting the proper technique of putting a condom on by showing it on a freakin' banana and told Jacob to practice when he was alone, along with other advice about safe sex, talking about expiration dates and him finding a fit and type he liked once he was at that stage, and to buy new ones when he run out. The talk with his dad had been awkward, especially the banana part. _I mean, who does that?_ But at the same time Jacob could admit that his dad made him feel less embarrassed with his relaxed approach, like everything was completely normal, even the fact that Jacob was a sex-crazed wolf wanting to mate with his father's best friends daughter. And Jacob wants Leah to be impressed with his skills, and not laugh at his inexperience so he needs knowledge. Maybe it had been valuable to see how it should be done, no matter how awkward, and be told to practice, because if he ever got the chance with Leah he didn't want to come off as completely inexperienced in front of her. Although he doesn't know how to hide the fact he is a virgin or if he even should try. Would she care? Maybe she will like being his first, likes the idea of teaching him? He certainly would like to be her first and would like them learning together. He would want to be her only one, but unfortunately he knows she has had sex with Sam, having been forced to see that memory in Sam's head. He hates that she has been with Sam, and tries not to think of it, instead focusing on thinking how he will strive to be the best one she has ever had, if she lets him try. Better than Sam. Better than anyone she could ever wish for. He wants her so bad, but he wants her to want him even more.

He then thinks of a few things he knows from all the years he has played football and baseball. The first thing he remembers is that practice makes you better, the second that there is such a thing that natural talent that makes some people better at sports as others. Sure anyone can learn and practice the technical side, and speed and strength, but having the heart for the game that's something you either have or don't have. Jacob hopes this is the case for sex also, because what made him good at sports was that he followed his heart, went with the flow, not thinking but feeling instead, trusted his instincts and intuition, and was able to read the game and his opponents like a book. If that applies to sex too, he knows he doesn't have to worry about disappointing Leah. And he also knows that he has practiced a lot on his own, like in any sport you can perfect movements or add to your strength by doing certain exercises, and he sure has exercised in his spare time, so maybe it won't matter that he hasn't had sex to make him good at it?

Maybe, if he learns to master his animal side a little better, but also master letting it come out in certain situations, like if..._when_ he has sex with Leah he will know exactly what to do to please her, to have her scream his name, to have her think of never wanting to leave him or try anyone else after sharing that experience with him, because the animal in him must by instinct know exactly what to do and how to do it right.

Jacob sighs. He knows he should apologize to Leah for a number of things. One is what happened in the school hallway, even if that kind of really wasn't his fault. But she doesn't know what he is and can't understand why he acted like that, even if her bodily reactions showed a positive response to his advances and even if she, unbeknownst to her, had called out to him. _Was she scared? Did she feel like he harassed her?_ He wouldn't like if someone did that to his sisters, whatever the reason, so that means he should be doing something about it, to make it right. And whatever else is wrong he knows he wants to fix that too, but maybe he just isn't ready to face and admit what he had done wrong that time at the cliffs, what he has been doing wrong ever since, because that meant realizing a few things about himself, about his own behavior and reasoning. Things he might not be ready to face yet. Deep down he knows the reason to why she had become so mad at him that time at the cliffs, and he knows that even when it had felt so right for him, it hadn't for her. He hadn't been fair to her, hadn't listened to her, he hadn't thought of her, but only himself. And that wasn't right. In his heart he knows all of this, and that is why it has been aching. But knowing he has been wrong is one thing, making it right a completely different.

* * *

**AN: A little bit long, but didn't know exactly how to make it shorter... Maybe I should've divided it in two chapters?**

*** ~ * ~ *  
**

**Billy (sighing): "Jacob, could you keep the noise down. I'm trying to sleep."**

**Jacob (protesting): "But dad, you always say practice makes perfect, and I'm sure the readers like me to practice. Maybe they like me to show them my skills too! I bet they would like that!"**

**Billy (sternly): "What about Leah?"**

**Jacob (hopeful): "Don't you think Leah would like me to be a little bit more experienced?"**

**Billy: "I don't know, you'll have to ask the readers about that... I bet they can give you some advice! (turning to the readers) Dear readers, why don't you give Jacob some advice in a review! He'll listen to you!"**

**Paul (laughing): "If you review I might share the film of the naked Jacob with you!"  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: **

**Billy: "Jake! We're leaving in five minutes!"**

**Jacob: "(whines) But I'm playing fun games with my reviewers and they are teaching me stuff. You always say I should better my knowledge."**

**Billy (slyly): "You stay here then. I'll call Embry and ask if he wants to come to the dinner at the Clearwater's instead. I've heard he gets on _very well_ with Leah."**

**Jacob (bursting out from his room, looking very upset): "WHAT?! Embry?! (growls) NO! Embry is totally wrong for Leah! She doesn't like Embry, the way she likes me!" (grabs the handles of his father's wheelchair and runs at full speed towards the Clearwater's)**

**

* * *

  
**

**GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER**

Jacob doesn't even make it past the hallway before he starts to behave in a manner Sam Uley would most definitely call outrageous.

To his great fortune or perhaps misfortune Jacob is left alone in the Clearwater hallway without supervision. His dad has wheeled further in the house and is chatting with Harry and Sue in the living room, but Jacob has to stop to breathe in the heavenly essence of Leah that floats around everywhere in the house _slowly_. He wants to devour the scent, or rather the source of the scent at once, but won't. Instead he's trying to experience it like one would tasting a fine wine. Not that Jacob ever tasted a fine wine of any sort but he once watched some incredibly boring cooking show with Bella where this wine expert was explaining how the real way of appreciating the aroma and flavor of wine should be done by slow sips after swirling the wine around and smelling it for a long time, or whatvere, but the point was to not to gulp it all down like a barbarian. So he tries to not act like a barbarian, even though it's difficult.

It doesn't take long before Jacob can't resist burying his head in Leah's coat. _Oh, _the scent is divine. Having his nose against the fabric of her coat is better than any buffet table, better than a visit to the Playboy mansion, better than getting to drive a Lamborghini Diablo. Not that Jacob has experienced the latter two – although he has sometimes dreamed about both (especially if Leah would be dressed like a Playboy bunny sitting next to him when he drives the Lamborghini on the way to a buffet table. _That would be so hot!_) - but he's in heaven right now. He could stay with his head inside her coat forever.

The entire coat rack is shaking as Jacob nuzzles Leah's coat, his hair coming to stand in every direction from the static electricity formed by the friction of running his head against the fabric.

He feels so happy!

He wants to roll around on the floor with the coat, so he does exactly that.

That's when an item in the corner of his eyes catches his wolfy interest. A pair of red soccer shoes. He dives down sniffing them._ Ohh_, he can't hold the moan in. _Delicious! _The shoes smell different, stronger and sharper, but that's what makes them so appetizing, like spicy food. It's like he had started with the most delicious dessert sniffing the coat and now starting to eat Thai food or something equally spicy afterwards. He loves the aroma of Leah's sweaty shoes. It would be truly divine to get to trace his nose and tongue over her bare soles after a soccer game.

His fantasy and something with the smell of Leah's sweat makes him want to take the shoe in his mouth, which he shamelessly does, laughing happily to himself.

He can't believe shoes can be this much fun. He never understood his sisters obsessions with shoes before, but now they finally have an interest in common. Shoes are great to play with, to chew, to hide!

That last was a brilliant idea. He will take the shoe and hide it. Maybe he will bury it somewhere in his backyard, make a special hiding place for his treasure. It's his shoe now._ His!_

He's too busy with playing with his new fun toy to care about the fast feet flying down the stairs, feet that are running towards him. Soon enough those feet land in front of Jacob.

"Hi Jake!" The owner of the feet calls enthusiastically. It's Seth. "What are you doing?!" Seth looks baffled and Jacob stills, his head shooting up, running shoe still dangling in his mouth.

"Um..nothing!" he answers dumbly and the shoe drops. Looking at it he's a stunned by the shape it is in. There's teethmarks all over it. Did he do that to the shoe? _Shit!_ _Leah will kill him._ Then he notices the havoc he has managed to create in the Clearwater hallway in a matter of a few minutes. _Damn! _He needs to clean this up, fast.

Seth's eyes have gone round and wide as saucers. "Did you fall?" he asks, clearly not understanding why Jacob is on the floor standing on all four over their coats, not to mention the shoe that was in his mouth.

"Sure, sure." Jake rushes out, taking the save Seth just offered him, although it really doesn't explain Leah's shoe in his mouth. But maybe his usual smile will accomplish that? His smile always works wonders whenever he's in some sort of trouble.

And of course it does that this time too, because there is no denying that Jacob's smile is magic.

"What have you done to your hair? Is it a new trend? It looks like Einstein's hair. Do you think it would look cool on me too?" Seth asks trying to ruffle his own hair in a similar manner as Jake's.

Before Jacob has time to comprehend what Seth is talking about his interest is caught by a door opening on the second floor and light feet cross from one room to another. With it comes a stronger whiff of the flavor Jacob loves and he has to tilt his head backwards, close his eyes and inhale deeply, letting small sounds of satisfaction leave him.

Jacob's pleasure of breathing in the scent is cut short by Seth's voice reminding him of him not being alone, "I love that smell too." Seth's loud comment has his father and Harry start to laugh in the living room, proving they have been keeping, if not an eye, then an ear on Jacob and his whereabouts, probably to stop him if he was to rush upstairs to Leah.

"We're having venison! Dad's been hunting again and he says you love wild game!" Seth continues, "And then there is peach pie, that's what your smelling right?! I love the smell of pie too!"

Jacob grins. Luckily Seth doesn't know anything about Jacob's obsession with his sister. That would be awkward.

"You wanna play Guitar hero?" Seth looks so excited that Jacob has to laugh. It's endearing. Jacob likes Seth a lot. He's like the little brother Jacob always wanted, but never had. Seth's like big puppy, and studying him carefully it looks like he will shift pretty soon too. He's almost 6 feet and has started to put on a little muscle. This makes Jacob sad, because Seth is far too young for having his life ruined like this, and Jacob hates the thought of Leah's brother having to go through it. If Jacob had his way no one else would have to shift ever again. He hates the Cullen's for fucking up all of their lives. Without them Seth could stay this happy bouncy teenager for a long time instead of having the burden of protecting La Push and the tribe, and it would mean that Seth's parents and Leah wouldn't to have to worry about him. He never wants Leah to have to worry about anything. Never.

* ~ * ~ *

Luckily Jacob's already sitting down at the dinner table when Leah decides to grace them with her presence. Sitting down he doesn't have to worry about stuffing his hands in his pocket, or standing behind a kitchen counter or something like that to hide the reaction she causes his body. Of course he was already half-aroused just by being in the house where her scent floats just about everywhere, but now as she seats herself next to him and accidentally brushes her knee to his thigh it becomes painful. What she does to him must be sinful, this ravenous hunger for her that she evokes in him. He's fidgeting and trying to not to show how her mere presence has him nearly undone. He is well aware that both Harry and his father are gauging his every reaction, his every move.

He grips the knife and fork like his life depends on it.

"Looks like you're really hungry Jake! I can practically see your mouth watering." the unsuspecting Sue says as she starts placing food on the table, Jacob earning amused expressions from Harry and his father. And sure enough, he's pretty much drooling.

"Oh yeah, I bet he's hungrier than you can imagine!" Harry chuckles, his dad smiling smugly at him and Jake's face goes scarlet. He's never been the blushing type but to have the father of the girl he constantly fantasizes about sit there and make sexual innuendos is just too much. Not that anyone not in on the secret would get them, but still, and what's worse is that Harry is so well aware of how Leah's mere prescence is making him feel.

Who came up with the crazy idea of having him and his dad come for dinner to test his resolve? Oh yeah, Harry Clearwater and his own father. Jacob is sure this is Harry's way of torturing him as a punishment for lusting after his daughter. Or is it payback for when he at the age of nine decided to test his mechanic skills on Harry's motorcycle, leading the bike having to be taken to a real mechanic? Or maybe it's for the time he replaced the Clearwater's toothpaste with shoe cream, or when he cut a hole in their water hose so Harry got soaked when he tried to hose his car clean, or is it for the time when he took a permanent marker and gave Harry a makeover, or for all of the other numerous pranks he has pulled on Harry and the entire Clearwater family? There were so many things Harry might want to get back at him for, but of course both his father and Harry would always claim that it has nothing to do with it, but with proving Sam wrong, to show that Jacob indeed could control himself. But this is the fucking most difficult practice he ever endured. He' dying here. It's torture having Harry to dangle Leah in front of him, and Jacob not being allowed to touch her like he wants to. To hoist Leah onto his lap and bury his nose in her hair, to... _God, he needs to stop his mind. Now! _

His dad had made sure Jacob promised that if it got too much he just had to give a signal of some sort, and they would leave. It's already too much, but Jacob doesn't want to leave now. Or maybe some small parts of Jake – the human boy - does, but the wolf isn't going anywhere. Besides he has this huge problem, a painfully burning and throbbing problem that makes it impossible to leave right now since he is quite sure everyone in the room would become very aware of what is bothering him would Jacob stand up. And he isn't really sure he could walk straight right now. A cold shower, that's what he needs.

Seth is babbling about some new video game, but Jacob is too distracted to answer. Too distracted with trying to breathe evenly and trying to not to look at Leah. Or is it that he is too distracted with inhaling like someone who just ran a marathon and staring at her like a drowning man seeing land? Probably the latter. It's like he has tunnel vision. He can only see her, is only aware of her prescence.

"What are you staring at?" Leah hisses at him, clearly not pleased to see him. But Jacob can't help but smile, no matter how murderous her glare turns. Even the meanest of looks warms his heart.

"Hi." he dumbly whispers when he finally manages to find his voice.

Leah's rolls her eyes turning her head away from him. _No, don't look away!_

He clears his throat trying to come up with something less lame to say, something that will make her look at him again and smile. He wants her to smile at him so badly. Why can't he think of anything smart and funny to say? He never had a hard time running his mouth but in her presence it's like his brain doesn't function at all. It's very hard to keep focus when all he wants to do is touch her, and her scent makes him so dizzy. It's hard to think straight, especially when all his instincts are telling him to get closer to Leah, to press his leg against hers, to hold her hand, to lean down and nuzzle his head in the crook of her neck.

"You smell good!" he bursts out smiling like an idiot, and feeling like an idiot too.

At least it gets her to turn her attention back to him again, "_What?!_" she almost shouts, "What the hell is wrong with you?" she asks looking at him somewhere between menacing and unbelieving. "Are you on drugs?" Leah questions throwing a suspicious glance his way, because Jacob has a pretty dopey look on his face.

"Leah! Of course Jacob isn't on drugs." Sue berates, giving Jacob a friendly appreciative smile and her daughter a scolding look.

"Then why the hell is he acting so weird all the time?"

"Language Leah! Jacob was giving you a compliment, you should thank him for it." Sue looks at her daughter expectantly.

"Thank him?! I should thank him?! Geez!" Leah is starting to sound upset. "He ruined the soccer game yesterday. We were winning when that idiot decided to streak, and the day before he..." she stops herself, her cheeks turning quite pink, definitely not wanting to mention the incident in hallway to her family, not knowing that her dad already knows of it, even more than she knows herself. "What the hell were you doing in the woods anyway together with Quil and Embry all naked. Having an orgy? Wouldn't be the first time either the three of you do something perverted together." she sneers the malice evident in her eyes as she looks at Jacob.

He can't believe she brought that circle-jerk thing up now, after all these years. She can't hold that against him. He was _a kid_ when it happened. And how can she think that he has done anything sexual with Quil and Embry? She isn't really thinking that, is she?

"Leah! I will not have you talking like that! You apologize this instant or you will leave this table." Sue orders.

Leah is already pushing her chair backwards and Jacob panics. She can't leave! She hasn't even eaten anything yet. He can't have her starving.

"No! Don't go! I'm sorry for ruining your game!" Jacob exclaims getting ready to rush after her. He has been meaning to apologize, but he had planned on doing it when they didn't have an audience. He has mulled over how to do it, what to say, and how to say it, half the night. Sure most of his plans soon had drifted into fantasies about Leah throwing her arms around him and kissing him senseless as she forgave him. But now as he sits here he finds it much harder than he had thought. Not to formulate the words _I'm sorry,_ but to make her believe that he truly means it. Harder still is that he doesn't know if he's truly sorry for his actions, he maybe is only sorry for outcome. For instance he loved the feeling of holding her tight against himself in the school hallway. He did enjoy chasing her in an unexplainable way, and he had loved kissing her on the cliff all those months ago, even though he understands that the time and place were completely wrong – _for her._ He wasn't sorry for doing those things because all of them have in some way been the greatest experiences in his life, but he is truly sorry for hurting Leah, for making her feel uncomfortable, hurt and angry.

"Now, now. Just let's all calm down and enjoy the meal." Harry calmly says with an easy smile on his face, and as always the father of the house gets both his daughter and his wife to calm down, and the impending fight is avoided. Leah pulls her chair back to the table, still fuming, muttering something to herself.

"I think it was a fun prank!" Seth says, thus joining the opinion of the majority of the male population of La Push high, who all have been coming up to Jacob all day high-fiving him and congratulating him on the awesome stunt he had pulled. The girls at school had been giggling and whispering, giving him suggestive looks and comments, but the only opinion he cares about is _hers_, and she hadn't even even looked at his nor acknowledge his presence the entire day at school, and now he worries that she really thinks he's a pervert. He's NOT like Quil who tries to press himself against every girl in the cafeteria line. He has _never _done that, never would do that, although the thought of pressing himself against Leah in the cafeteria line... _Oh no_, _now he got really distracted again_.

He's brought back to the present time by Leah's irritated voice. "You better not ever be even thinking about streaking Seth!" she threatens.

"Oh Leah, let the boys have their fun. It's innocent and harmless. They'll grow out of it eventually. Your father used to be like that too! Billy, do you remember when he and Charlie used to drive his boat close to First beach and moon the tourists." Sue says letting out a very uncharacteristic giggle and Leah stares at her like she has grown a second head, then looking at her dad like she has never seen him before.

"Really Dad?! You did that?" Seth asks clearly awed. "Cool!"

And everyone except Leah is laughing as Billy starts telling tales of Harry's wild younger years, with additional comments from Sue and Harry himself. But Jacob who has been watching Leah the entire time from the corner of his eyes, sees the smile that's tugging at the corner of her mouth. She wants to smile, maybe even laugh along with them, it's only her pride holding her back.

While his father tells them the story Sue starts serving the food. Jacob and his father are of course served the best parts of the venison, just as custom bids. It looks so tasty and Jacob is hungry like a wolf, but then of course he _is_ a wolf. He would like to dig in at once, but doesn't. Instead Jacob carefully lifts the meat and places it on Leah's plate.

His female will have the best parts of the venison! He's beaming at her, glowing with satisfaction of the thought of his female is getting so well fed.

"Don't you eat deer anymore?" Leah questions glancing back and forth between the meat on her plate and Jacob's happy smile. "Have you become a vegetarian?"

Jacob shakes his head as his father and Harry start roaring in laughter. Whether it's because of his actions or the suggestion that he is a vegetarian Jacob doesn't know, and honestly doesn't care about either.

"It's the best part" he tells looking at her tenderly.

"Yeah, I know. So why you are giving it to me then?"

Jacob laughs. Sometimes she asks such silly questions. Why is he giving it to her? Because she is his female and he will always make sure she gets the best parts of the meat. That way she will stay healthy and strong.

"You're getting weirder and weirder Jake! You probably poisoned it." Leah says as Jacob fails to give her an explanation other than a dazed look.

"Leah!" Sue shakes her head disapprovingly at her daughter, while the men laugh. "Jake is just being nice."

Leah huffs and mutters, "I'm just saying, there's something wrong with him." as she cuts into the meat taking a bite, Jacob following her eating eagerly, eyes shining with delight at her healthy appetite.

During the meal Jacob discovers that his animal lust isn't the predominant feeling ruling his interactions with Leah when he's busy worrying about her eating and making sure she gets her stomach full. He makes sure she gets the best pieces of the meat and then practically force feeds her three slices of the pie, feeling incredibly satisfied when he is sure she is stuffed. Of course she protests at his attention and evident obsession with her eating, but for some reason her irritation diminishes during the meal. Maybe it is because the general good mood around the table or maybe, just maybe it is because of the way Jacob acts. Jacob likes to think it's the latter, and hopes they soon will be on speaking terms again.

He beams proudly, like he has killed the deer himself, when she leans back on her chair resting her hands on her full belly a small content smile on her lips. If she likes it he will bring her fresh meat every day. He will even learn how to make peach pie if it will make her smile like that. And afterwards they can lay on the couch and cuddle.

* ~ * ~ *

Somehow Harry manages to get Leah and Jacob to do the dishes, while a dejected looking Seth is told to go upstairs and finish his homework, and his dad and Harry are sitting in the living room doing whatever they were doing, Sue leaving for her night shift at the hospital. Jacob thanks his lucky start that Sue walked out through the back door, and thus missed the mayhem in the hallway.

"I'm really sorry Leah." Jacob apologizes as he takes the plate Leah has washed and starts wiping it dry.

"Sorry for what?! Being a perv?" Leah asks, but there isn't any real malice in Leah's tone. No, it's slightly playful. The food has obviously got her in a good mood. He has to remember that.

"Yeah, I mean NO!" He sputters. "I'm not a perv!"

"You sure about that?" Mischief is dancing in Leah's eyes, and this question has Jacob's face heating, his pulse racing. Her words and tone of voice is provoking the male wolf to resurface.

"No..." he whispers huskily "I'm not sure of that." He's leaning closer, he sure is having pretty perverted thoughts right now, and he has a hard time keeping his eyes on her face, and his hands to himself.

Trying to be friends with Leah was the advice Harry and his father has given him. _But friends can flirt right? And maybe touch? And kiss? _

He can clearly make out how Leah's breathing hitches and her heart starts drumming a fast staccato.

"Uhh...yeah...right..." Leah stutters very un-Leah like and starts washing one of the pots, scrubbing it furiously, splashing water everywhere, eyes locked into the sink.

He keeps standing there, a little bit too close, his fingers already strumming in the air, wanting to play on Leah's body. His eyes have grown heavy-lidded and he is inhaling deeply. He aches for her, and all the simple satisfaction of just being in her presence and watching her eat is drowned out in a tidal wave of desire. He wants to kiss her.

"How's the washing up going?" Harry shouts from the living room. His voice is friendly enough but with a hint of a warning in it. Jacob knows that Harry and his father are keeping an eye on him from the living room from where he and Leah are clearly visible due to the open layout. Harry seems to have decided that Jacob is stepping over his boundaries right about now.

"Fine." Jacob answers, his voice wavering a little. He's taking a step back, trying to gain control over his body and mind again.

"Why do you hang out with Sam? I thought you didn't like him and now everyone is hanging out with him. I don't get that Jake." Leah asks after a long silence, still not looking up at him, and her question somehow manages to still some of the fire within him.

"I don't like him." Jacob spits out and hates that he isn't allowed to tell her anything. If anyone can keep a secret it's Leah. But on this matter of not telling anyone except the imprints, the council and Sam are in agreement.

"So why?" she questions. "Jake, you always do things your own way, I don't get it. I get it's supposed to be some kind of initiation thing this _Protector _stuff.." she spits the last word like it leaves a bad taste in her mouth, "...like promoting the old tribal pride or whatever, but why does it have to be _him_ leading you? Is it because he's the oldest? Because he's no leader material. I would never listen to anything he says. I'm surprised you do."

He frowns. He doesn't want to listen to Sam either.

"And why only boys in this protector stuff? That's stupid and chauvinist, just like the council. Only men, while the women cook for their gatherings." she vents and Jacob can nothing but nod along. It_ is _wrong that there are only men on the council, that's true. But he would never have a woman become a shapeshifter, not because he thinks they couldn't do it, but because he wouldn't have _anyone_ becoming one.

But something with the thought of a female wolf bothers him, makes the wolf inside him unsettled, excited. It's something with that thought, something with it that he finds himself liking. Liking very much. He _wants_ a female wolf, he wants _her _to be a female wolf. To be _his _female wolf.

"I wish I could tell you." he says wistfully.

"I get it, it's a secret. You don't have to say anything. Dad won't tell anything either when I ask him, so I get that you won't. You're not allowed, right?"

But he wants to. Really wants to tell her.

"You remember the myths of Taha Aki and the skinwalkers?" he asks lowering his voice so his dad and Harry won't hear, trying to get her to guess on her own.

She huffs. "God, dad does nothing else than talk about those myths all day, every day. Especially when Seth is around."

His dad did the same with him before he shifted. "Yeah, well.. What do you think of the stories?"

She studies him closely, scrutinizing him. "You're trying to learn how to skinwalk?" she asks, her tone curious, staring him deep in the eyes, and he feels like she is gazing into his very soul. But then she snorts at the idea turning back to scrubbing of the pot, "I like parts of the myths, and other parts I don't like. Like for instance I think they should've taught everyone in the tribe to defend themselves, like...I don't know... The cold ones died of fire, right? So what if they had taught everyone how to shoot fire arrows, then they wouldn't solely have to depend on the skinwalkers. The entire tribe could've stayed strong and the Third wife wouldn't have had to kill herself."

Jacob listens carefully to Leah's reasoning. The idea isn't completely bad, but fire arrows wouldn't have gotten the tribe very far. Would the arrows even manage to penetrate the skin of the vampires? He doubts that, but it feels so nice to talk to her like this. Of course it would be nicer to hold her in his arms, but this is a start, isn't it?

"And I don't like that Taha Aki had three wives. I think that's sick."

Jacob agrees with that. He only wants one wife. How could he ever need or want anyone else than Leah? No, there is no way he ever will want anyone else, he's certain of that.

"Here" she shoves the pot she's been scrubbing for the past five minutes into Jacob's hands.

Jacob's fingers brush against hers and that's when she finally looks up at him again, eyes wide and oddly vulnerable. Before she has time to retreat he closes his hand over hers. A perfect fit. The humming deep down inside him that's always there when she is close, becomes stronger as he holds her hand in his._ Surely she must feel it too? _

"Your hand is so soft." he whispers amazed, putting the pot down on the kitchen counter with his other hand. Jacob turns her hand around gazing at it like it's the eight wonder of the world, his thumb rubbing light circles on her skin. Slowly he presses his cheek against her hand, closing his eyes. This is what it would feel like if she would caress him. It feels wonderful. It doesn't take long before his lips are touching her palm, and he doesn't know what he is doing any longer as his other hand grabs her hip pulling her closer. His self control is shattering, threatening to break completely, when someone audibly clears their throat behind him. Harry.

"Uhh... Gotta go do homework!" Leah breathlessly stutters, snatching her hand back, rushing out of the kitchen. Jacob turns to run after her, but a hand lands on his chest.

"No Jake! You need to calm down." Harry orders

The blood is drumming in Jacob's ears and he's breathing heavily. His body is screaming to run after her, to gather her in his arms and hold her, carry her away somewhere where he can be alone with her, to kiss her, to touch her. He doesn't want to calm down, but Harry's kind, trustful but very commanding look makes him get a hold of himself. He closes his eyes and tries to will himself to calm down.

"You need to go out for a run?" Harry asks, but Jacob shakes his head. No, it will get worse if he lets the wolf emerge completely, and he _can_ fight the urge, it's just that when he gets aroused like this, he really doesn't want to, but he knows he needs to so he will. But more than anything he needs a cold shower. And it's embarrassing as hell that Harry and his dad has witnessed him starting to act upon his desires. Jacob definitely was going too far yet again, but on the other hand he has been doing pretty good tonight. Good enough at least.

"It's time we start heading home" his dad says as he wheels into the kitchen, and Jacob feels disappointed that the evening has already ended. He probably looks completely crestfallen, since his dad pats his hand and Harry invites him over to help in painting the tool shed tomorrow. It's clearly a made up task, an excuse for having Jacob over again for another practice session, but Jacob doesn't mind. In fact, he's looking forward to it.

"I'll buy her new shoes." Jacob says before they leave picking up the damaged one, tucking it under his arm, after hanging all the coats back up.

His dad and Harry only look at him before both start howling with laughter.

"I think I don't even want to know." his dad says as they leave.

He's doing a lot better around her, and with a little practice he will be able to maybe control himself completely. The questions is if he wants to?

* * *

**AN:**

**Jacob (sniffing the air): "Uhmm... Oh, something smells wonderful. (turns and looks at his favorite reviewer) Is it you? Yes, it is you! Come here! (winking his eye and smiling widely) I wanna smell more of you. And take your shoes off, I want them! (growls) They are mine now!"**

_(Continues, voice muffled by being buried in his favorite reviewers hair) _"**I've been having these weird dreams lately. Like that I'm owned by this woman called Stephenie Meyer, but _I know_ I belong to you! Tell me that I belong to you in a review."**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:  
Billy (groggily as he wheels himself into the kitchen): "Jake, what on earth are you doing up?! It's 7.00 am on a Saturday morning. Do you have patrol?"**

**Jacob (laughing): "No! Dad, the readers are here and I wanted to meet them. Besides how could I sleep in today?! It's going to be the most amazing day ever! I can feel it! I don't want to miss a second of it. .... Do you think I can go over and see Leah now? (looks hopeful)"**

**Billy (yawning): "Son, it's 7.00 am, besides we agreed you were to go there _after_ lunch…"**

**Jake: "(very disappointed) I guess I'll have to wait… (Makes the saddest puppy eyes ever) Is it after lunch soon?"**

**Billy (sighs): "(mumbles to himself) Taha Aki give me strength! It's gonna be one loooong morning. (Loudly turning to Jake) You want scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast?"**

**Jacob: "Sure sure! (enthusiastic again) Can we call it brunch instead of breakfast, then it'll be after lunch-time sooner!"**

**Billy chuckles and shakes his head. **

**Jacob (starts eating): "(sighs longingly) Leah. She's amazing. We'll be friends again and then… (blushes and closes eyes breathing heavily mumbling something to himself.) It's gonna be magic! (tries to stifle a groan)! Uh…Gotta take a shower."**

**Billy (shakes his head, mumbles to himself): "Taha Aki, what did I wrong raising him?"**

**Jacob (to the reviewers when in shower): "You've been inspiring me, and don't ever tell Leah, but sometimes I think of you, yes YOU (points at his favorite reviewer) when I…uh…do my morning exercise. (groaning and growling while exercising.)"**

**Jacob comes out of the shower _two hours_ later, only in a towel, water dripping on his broad chest, smiling and dancing and singing along with the radio.**

**Billy (muttering): "God, who told the boy that he should compensate the lack of talent with volume. I need earplugs."**

**Jacob, knocking over furniture as he "dances", grabs the handles of Billy's wheelchair and spins him around inhumanly fast, exclaims: "Dad! I'm so happy! I can't stop thinking of this being a perfect day and that I'm spending it with Leah."**

**Billy (looking nauseous after the insanely fast spinning): "Why don't you get over to the Clearwater's already?! I'm sure Harry won't mind if you to get there a couple of hours earlier than we agreed on especially since you're in such a happy mood, I'm sure he'll enjoy it. (grins evilly to himself as he says the last part)"**

**Jacob takes off in a mad dash almost forgetting to put his pants on.**

**Billy wheels back to his bedroom and decides to go back to sleep: "(mumbles pleased to himself) Let Harry handle him…It's his daughter who's making my son crazy after all.... Muhahhahhahhhaaa…." **

**

* * *

  
**

**A PERFECT DAY**

Jacob manages to calm his fast sprint to a leisurely stroll mere seconds before the Clearwater's house becomes visible. There's no need to let everyone know exactly how much he's been looking forward to this and how he has been running the entire way, not getting there fast enough.

"JAKE! Hey Jake!" Seth hops off the fence he's been sitting on and rushes towards Jacob, waving and calling Jake's name eagerly.

What Jacob wouldn't give for it to be Leah running up to him like this, looking that excited.

"I think it's great you'll help us paint the tool shed. Dad hasn't been feeling well, and I've never painted before. Lee says we don't need any help, but that's just because she thinks she's the best at everything." Seth chatters frowning a little at mentioning his older sister. "She tried to make us start painting already but _I_ told her that we should wait for _you_!"

Jacob laughs at how indignant Seth sounds when he tells about Leah's suggestion that they should've started painting without him, but even more so his laughter is inspired by the typical Leah-stance thinking she can do everything on her own. Maybe not because she's thinks she's better than everyone else like Seth claims, but because she always wants to be so damn independent. That's something he really likes about her. There might be other independent women and girls out there in the world, but none of them compares to Leah. Come to think of it he can only name a handful of women who have all the qualities he admires like self-reliance, strength, passion and fierceness, starting with Leah at the top of his list. Then there's Leah's mother of course, and his sisters, but after that he can't really think of anyone. And no one is like Leah. She's simply awesome. He doesn't know anyone like her. She's never afraid to speak her mind, always tries her best no matter what and never gives up just because things get a little rough. She truly has the spirit of a warrior.

The reason for his admiration of strong independent women has of course something to do with the fact that his sisters have been his female role models and they have always been headstrong and very capable of managing on their own all their lives, and from what he remembers and has heard of his mother she was a very independent woman too who always spoke her mind. His memories of her are faint, but from what remembers she was the bravest, funniest and kindest woman ever and he misses her terribly. Somehow he imagines that she was a lot like Leah and when he is with Leah he feels like his mother is with them in spirit as strange as that might sound. Maybe it's because he remembers how much his mother liked Leah and how, when he as a kid told her that he would marry Leah someday, his mother had told him that he couldn't chosen a better girl. He knows that his mother was right in that. There's no one better suited than Leah for him in the world.

All of his thoughts halt completely when he spots her sitting on the lawn with her back against the tool shed, eyes closed, face blissfully turned towards the rare sun shining. She's wearing sweatpants and an old red hoodie and to Jacob she looks absolutely gorgeous. Jacob, much similar to the way Seth acted earlier, wants to run to her, to bounce around her, jump up in her lap and kiss her. But he tries to keep his cool. Tries really hard, especially to control his canine desire of pressing his face against her neck and greedily sniff every inch of her skin and then lick her face and hands. She's like a wonderful mystery to him, and every time he smells her he feels he gets a little closer to revealing the secret of her until he one day will have her completely unlocked, until he knows everything about her, until she is his. He can never get enough of smelling, looking and listening to her, and the urge to soak in her scent and mark her with his own is so strong it's tangible in the air around him. To smell himself on her would be absolute heaven. Oh, he yearns for it to happen soon.

Considering the avalanche of desire that makes his entire body tingle, the crazy flipping in the pit of his stomach, how his chest swells and his groin achingly stiffens, he is doing pretty well by simply standing and staring at her longingly. He's getting better at controlling his behavior around her. To some degree at least. What Jacob can't stop is the sparkle in his eyes and the wide happy grin on his face that says more than words ever could. Would this be a poker game Jacob would've lost. He's sure he looks every part of the lovesick fool he feels like and quite honestly he does, but he couldn't care less right now when she's here right in front of him.

"And the expert arrives..." Leah greets dryly, squinting her eyes against the sun, looking at the boys. Slowly she gets up from the ground, brushing some of the dirt off her pants. _He could do that for her!_ _Wou__ld love to do that for her! _It requires some serious self-control on Jacob's part to not to reach out and help her to get the dirt of her thighs and ass.

"I told dad that Seth and I could handle it by ourselves. How hard can it be to paint?" she questions sounding a little grumpy and also somewhat challenging. "But nooo, apparently your some kind of an expert according to dad and Sethy." Leah huffs.

"The paint's there" she points, strolling to the paint buckets and picking up a paint brush she throws his way and he casually catches it with one hand.

"We might have to do some prep work first before we can start painting." Jacob smiles at her, putting the paint brush back down.

"I'll told you Lee, it's good to have Jacob here. He knows what he's doing!" Seth exclaims and Jacob has to laugh. It's not like Jacob hasn't noticed how Seth admires him, although Jacob really doesn't understand why. It's kind of adorable albeit sometimes a little annoying, but Seth will probably grow out of it. Besides, Jacob will hopefully sort of become Seth's brother in the future, his brother-in-law, and little brothers look up to their older brothers, right?

Leah's eyes twinkle and she looks a little triumphant, "Ha! I've already prepared it. The surface is scrubbed and cleaned. I checked on the Internet what to do before painting!"

Jacob laughs even more. It's really cute how proud she is of herself. He inspects the shed anyway and comes to the same conclusion as she; there is no need for real prep work like scraping off old paint or even having to use a primer before painting.

"Told you so!" she gloats.

He laughs in return, bumping his shoulder gently against hers, "I guess you're as good at this as me." he tells her and she smirks at both him and Seth, catching Seth in a headlock and ruffling his hair, as Seth protests in vain and tries to struggle free shrieking for Jacob to help him, which Jacob has no intention of doing. In fact he decides to help Leah by grabbing Seth's kicking legs and together they start to carry Seth towards the tool shed, laughingly debating locking him in there, while Seth trashes around shouting about the unfairness of Leah and Jacob ganging up on him. Jacob would gang up on just about anyone as long as he can do it together with Leah.

The noises might be what draw Harry outside, having realized that Jacob has arrived long before the agreed lunch time, feeling the need to come out and keep and eye on him. Jacob doesn't really mind, since he isn't completely sure he really can be trusted alone with Leah at all times. Not yet at least, although he feels pretty confident he will be able to make it just fine today. He has already fought back very compelling temptations he badly has been wanting to give in to.

"Morning Harry!" Jacob calls dropping Seth's legs at the same time as Leah releases her hold on him, "How's it going?"

"Fine, fine! There's nothing better than to watch other people work!" Harry chuckles as he sits down on one of the lawn chairs.

"Are you alright dad?" Leah asks tentatively.

"Sure, sure. It's just a cold baby girl." Harry smiles, but Leah doesn't look convinced. Jacob remembers Seth telling him that Harry hasn't been feeling well, and it shows clearly on Harry's face. Harry had looked perfectly fine yesterday, but now he looks awfully tired, and a little pale. He must have a really bad cold. Jacob hopes Leah won't get sick too. He doesn't want Leah to be sick ever. Not that he likes Harry to be unwell either, but the thought of Leah being under the weather disturbs him much more, makes him worried. But if she was to become sick he would come over and take care of her. If she would let him of course.

"You want me to get you something?" Leah asks walking up to the lawn chair Harry is sitting on. "Dad!" she exclaims angrily when she sees what he has on the plate he has put on the table, two very greasy sandwiches and some peach pie from yesterday. "You know you aren't supposed to eat stuff like that. The doctor said… The cholesterol..."

Harry only laughs as he interrupts her. "I'm fine baby girl! A couple of sandwiches won't kill me. Seth! Could you run in and get me my coffee?"

Seth does as he is told and Leah glares at Harry's sandwiches, before she scowls and stomps back to the shed. "He's so stubborn!" she mumbles quietly to herself.

"Like father, like daughter!" Jacob grins when she comes back to the paint buckets by the shed where he's standing.

"Don't you just have the biggest ears ever?!" she calls back making a face at him.

Jacob laughs heartedly: "All the better to hear you with!"

Leah's rolling her eyes. "Geez, next you be telling me that the reason you have such a big mouth isn't to torture the world with your opinions on everything, but to better eat me with!"

Jacob's heart stops and then kick-starts pounding furiously and his face flushes. He can't resist it. It's impossible. She's dressed in a red hoodie after all and he is a wolf. _And- and that story about little red riding hood and the big bad wolf… _There is just something terribly arousing with it. Images, starring him and her in very different scenarios from the original story, floods his mind making him hazy with desire. _Meeting her in the wood__s and then… oh...then having her follow him in to the woods, tearing off her red hoodie, her velvety smooth skin bare for him to lavish with his tongue, nipping at her skin with his dangerously sharp canine teeth, marking her as his by biting her neck, rolling around on the pine needles and moss..._

Two swift strides and he is boxing her in against the walls of the shed. The longing and adoration that has been on his face ever since he laid eyes on her this morning is replaced with a look of pure hunger.

"You're the one dressed like the little red riding hood" he gives a very wolfish smile tugging on the strings of her hoodie with his long fingers. Then he leans even closer, "And I would love to get a taste of you!" Somewhere in the back of his mind Jacob registers with surprise how rough his voice sounds and is astonished by the words coming out of his mouth, but the wolf in him recognizes the truth of his tone of voice, words and actions. Long gone is the lovesick puppy, this is a hunter before it's prey, all predatory male wolf standing in front of the female he intends to win, to have as his. _Make her his!  
_

Everything has stilled around them, or at least that's what it feels like to Jacob. There is only him and her, and the rush of heat and lust making him tremble with desire, all egged on by the way her heart hammers, the hitch in her breath and the pink glow on her cheeks. _And all of it for him, because of him!_

She opens her mouth as if to say something, but no words come out.

"That-that was the-the lamest line ever..." she finally manages to stutter, her voice wavering. Jacob's past talking right now, only knowing how to growl and groan. He feels completely intoxicated by her presence, his breathing a labored and uneven pant. She tries to stand taller, tries to put on a show of being unaffected, of standing her ground but it's to no avail when his hand tangles in her hair fisting it and tilting her head so her neck is exposed to him. She loses balance, desperately trying to steady herself, but there's no room for her to move in his hold, his body pressing her against the wall of the shed. He buries his nose against her bare neck inhaling deeply. _Divine! _

Neither register the clearing of a throat coming from Harry.

"As I remember there was a woodsman who cut open the wolves stomach in that story!" Harry's voice calls loudly, slightly amused but laced with a hidden warning the wolf recognizes. The sound of Harry's voice seem to wake both from their trance. Leah violently jerks her head away from Jacob's grasp, trying to duck under his arm at the time pushing against his body in an effort to escape. The wolf doesn't want to let her go.

"Better not forget that this little red riding hood's father is pretty skilled with the ax. Got one in that shed right there, Jake! So better not try to get a taste my daughter!" Harry continues, the warning more clear now.

"DAD!" Leah cries out horrified and Jacob releases her taking two quick steps back as Leah storms off running inside slamming the door behind her with such force the windows rattle, knocking over the cup of coffee Seth is bringing outside.

"What's wrong with Leah?" Seth innocently asks.

"Uh..um...uh" Jacob only manages to stutter.

"Don't worry Jake! Lee's always acting weird. It will be much more fun when it's just you and me painting the shed." Seth consoles Jacob. But how could it ever be more fun without Leah? That's something Jacob can't even try to comprehend. It's only the warning look on Harry's face that stops Jacob from rushing after Leah.

Jacob and Seth have already finished painting one of the walls when Leah finally reemerges. Jacob has had a hard time concentrating on painting in her absence and he has only grunted in response to Seth's non-stop chatter, not that this has discouraged Seth the slightest. Leah pauses to look at Harry who has fallen asleep on the lawn-chair and is snoring loudly before she finally heads to the shed.

"Where did you go Lee?" Seth asks. "Look! We've already painted one wall. Doesn't it look great?" Seth tugs her by her hand and proudly shows off his and Jacob's work. Most of it done by Jacob and as everything Jacob does with his hands his touch is almost perfect. It's quite obvious which parts have been painted by Jacob and which by Seth.

"Here!" Seth gives her a paint brush and they all move on to the next wall, Leah carefully avoiding to meet Jacob's intense stare.

Seth's doing most of the talking as the continue painting, but after a while the awkwardness Jacob managed to create between himself and Leah by his earlier action is forgotten, and Leah's soon smiling and laughing at Seth's jokes and even at some of Jacob's too, although Jacob is unusually tongue-tied.

It's comfortable working next to the Clearwater siblings, they find a nice steady work rhythm together. It's obvious Leah likes to work hands, maybe just as much as Jacob himself. Maybe they could work on one of his cars next? Like when they fixed up her bike all those years ago, and he showed her how to change the tire and they had pimped it up and painted it green, because she had hated the fact that it was pink. He's already daydreaming of all the projects they could work on together in the future.

Seth's paint strokes are messy and he drips paint everywhere, but Leah never loses her patience in trying to show him over and over again how to hold the brush to not drip paint or how to make the strokes longer, leaving less paint running. She only frowns when Seth refuses her help and insists on having Jacob show him instead.

"That's right Seth, let the expert show how it's done." Jacob grins looking straight at Leah, who scowls at his words. It's fun teasing her like this, because she looks absolutely adorable when she gets peeved by Seth preferring Jacob's help over hers. She's competitive like that and also clearly finds her little brother's idolization of Jacob ridiculous.

It's early spring and not that warm yet despite the sun, but the work Jacob's doing matched with his inhuman body temperature makes him sweaty and soon enough he takes off his shirt. He can feel Leah's gaze on him, but when he turns around she pretends to be concentrating on painting. Ha! He knows she's looking, because the second he turns around he can feel her eyes on him again. This knowledge thrills him to no end. He'll catch her and then he'll… Well he doesn't know what he'll do then, but he wants to catch her looking at him.

As always he gets impatient when she expertly manages to not get caught gawking at him, so he has to make her look. "See this? I've sort of been working out. Like what you see Lee?" he asks and flexes his muscles a little.

Leah huffs, but she can't hide how her eyes travel over his body. "The paint is dripping." she criticizes Jacob's work instead adding a mischievous grin.

"Let's see how good your painting technique is then!" he's challenging her, jumping down from the ladder he's been standing on. "See if all those karate lessons paid off. Isn't that what they do at the beginners level your on; paint fences and wax cars. Wax on, wax off." He teases, knowing very well she's doing judo and not karate and has in fact a black belt. "That's why you're such an expert on painting!"

"Watch it or I'll show you some of my technique!" She threatens taking fast steps towards him holding her paint brush like a knife.

He stands his ground, eyes glittering, daring her to make a move. There is a slight deliberation, but then she goes for it, a bold stroke of paint landing on Jacob's bare chest. She stares at it completely mesmerized for a second. One heartbeat, two heartbeats...then...Jacob dives for her and she's running barely managing to duck under his arms.

Paint is flying and soon it's a strange mixture of tag and fencing that they are at. Leah expertly avoids his attacks, but his longer limbs make up for her ability's to dodge his advances and soon she has paint on her face, her clothes and Jacob's chest is blotched with red paint all over it.

"What are you doing?" Seth shouts sounding flustered and is rewarded with getting paint thrown on him by Leah as Jacob hoists Seth in front of him as a shield.

"Ugh" Seth sputters completely soaked in red paint, watching as his sister flies across the lawn with Jacob at her heals disappearing round the corner of the house.

She's fast and agile, dashing this way then that, trying to shake Jacob of her heels, her speed and agility only spurring the wolf on. He's dead set on his target now that the hunt has begun. As he gains on her she makes the mistake of turning her head to glance at him, making her falter a little in her step and that's all it takes for him to reach her.

He laughs happily when he throws his arms around her waist in a strong hold making both tumble down on the ground, the wolf making sure that his female doesn't get hurt as they roll around in a tangled mess of limbs. He really can't help the excited whining noises that escape him when he finally has captured her in his arms.

When they come to a full stop they're lying on their sides, facing each other, his arms wrapped around her, and one of his legs slung over her hip. He can roll her anyway he likes, could cradle her on top of him, or pin her down under him once he decides what way to move.

She is sweaty and he loves that because it makes her scent come out stronger, her cheeks are rosy and her skin glistens. She's out of breath and panting from the run and he imagines she will look this radiant after they have made love.

"I caught you" he whispers softly remembering the human way of communicating. The wolf has noticed that his female sometimes seems to not understand his wolfish signals all that well, even when playing animal games of running and catching and even when the wolf can read how she responds positively to his actions, but then she always does something contradictory that confuses the wolf. That's the only reason the wolf let's the human boy surface as he holds his female.

"You're such a dork Jake!" she tells him but there is tenderness in her voice and Jacob can't do anything but tighten his grip on her and stare deep into her eyes pressing his forehead against hers.

"So what are you gonna to do about it now that you've caught me?" she questions smiling teasingly, biting her lip. His calloused thumb softly touches her face brushing a strand of her hair from her face, his eyes falling to her lips and then traveling back to her eyes. A low growl rumbles deep in Jacob's chest. He knows what he wants to do, what the wolf wants him to do, but his father's and Harry's word ring in the back of his head. _Friends… _He messed up the last time, so maybe he should wait now? Maybe. But he doesn't want to! He wants to kiss her!

"What do you want me to do?" he whispers hoarsely. "Tell me!" he orders not waiting for her response before he rolls her onto her back, moving his body domineeringly over hers, but making sure not to pin her. She can escape if she wants to, but there is no way to misunderstand what he wants. But he wants her to want it, and wants her to say it!

Jacob doesn't know if it's the fact that he is cursed somehow, because once again someone ruins his moment before it reaches perfect bliss.

This time it's Sue's voice, "Why is there paint all over my lawn?!" as Jacob lifts his head he sees that all she lacks is war paint on her face. It's game over... for now at least, "And look at the state of you two! You're both covered in paint!" she admonishes. "Jacob Black, I would've thought you had grown out of your childish wrestling games and Leah, I've told you no judo outside the training center, last time you had Seth walking on crutches for over a week. This is not the WWE!"

Jacob knows better than to talk or move when Sue is on a war path, ready to strike, so he stays completely motionless, not even trying to give his signature smile. Right now he can't really manage one and he can't very well move either, because there is the slight risk that Sue will notice the bodily effects her daughter is inspiring in him.

"I'll expect you to clean this mess up!" Sue commands before she heads inside. "And don't think I'll serve you lunch before you have cleaned yourselves up!"

Jacob swallows hard before he rolls off of Leah, throwing himself on his back looking up at the sky, but bringing up one of his knees so his arousal won't be visible too clearly.

"Taha Aki! Why is my son covered in red paint from head to toe?" Sue's voice shrieks from inside the house. "Seth! You're dripping paint all over the floor. Oh my god, my kitchen cabinets. Outside! Now! Use the hose to clean yourself up!"

Leah starts laughing, still lying next to Jacob, her eyes fixed on the sky above them too, and Jacob joins her.

Seth comes outside, throwing himself down next to them, "Mom's on a warpath. I tried to wash off the paint by the kitchen sink and she went crazy just because I got paint on the kitchen cabinets." he sighs. "Are you looking at the clouds. Man, look at them fly. That one looks like a rabbit."

Leah chuckles and Jacob smiles, gently moving his hand to rest over Leah's. Ever so slowly she turns her hand around and curls her fingers around his until they're holding hands.

"I think it looks more like a wolf Sethy." Leah smiles giving Jacob's hand a slight squeeze. "I'll go help mom with lunch, why don't you finish off painting and clean up this before mom comes out yelling at us again?" she raises swiftly to her feet leaving the wolf lying on the ground staring at the sky where he clearly can make out at least three fluffy cloud-wolves running across the sky. The image warms his heart as his hand is missing the warmth of Leah's, it's odd how he with his perceptiveness to everything that is Leah manages to miss the fact that her hand wasn't that much colder than his own.

* * *

**AN:**

**Jacob: "(whining) But I wanted to kiss Leah. That would've made the day perfect."**

**Jacob ponders. Gets a brilliant idea: "(to the reviewers) Hey, it's not too late for me to get my kiss for today. (Looks at his favorite reviewer). We can kiss! Yes, I'll kiss each and every one of you who review and especially YOU! (pointing at you, his favorite, and yes that's you!) But I'll only kiss my reviewers!"**


	11. Chapter 11

**ON THE PHONE**

When he gets home that evening he still feels ecstatic. He had the greatest time today with Leah, not even the afternoon patrol, where Sam decided to take Quil's place so he could try to read Jacob's mind in order to pry on what he had been doing with Leah, could bring him down from his high. He could care less about Sam's idiotic comments and opinions. What did Sam know about anything anyway? Maybe Jacob's an immature puppy like Sam claims but he isn't an ugly selfish dick who cheats on his girlfriend with her cousin. Ha! That had shut Sam up and even if the comment made Sam order him to run three extra laps round the perimeter it was worth it, especially since it meant Sam phasing out, probably to go home and stuff his face with muffins until passing out from a sugar overdose like the sugar junkie he was. At least that's what Jacob liked to imagine as Sam gave him the order, and even Embry – who never said a bad word about anyone - had joined in creating mocking images of the brainless imprint-couple once Sam had phased out. Most of them involving a fat beer-bellied Sam dressed in an apron choking on muffins. No wonder he always acted like such an idiot when all that ran through his system was sugar and fat. Both Jacob and Embry swore on never tasting Emily's muffins, ever.

When he gets home his father tells him that Bella has called him at least twenty times. Jacob frowns sighing heavily. They had spoken the other day for _three hours_ to be exact, time he'd rather spent gazing at Leah from outside her window. Did Bella have to call him _every_ day?

Of course he'll call her back because that's what friends do. He'll listen to her problems and try to support her like always, but sometimes it made him weary to hear her talk about the same subject over and over and over again. Like hearing Bella snivel about how not even Jacob, her only friend, wanted to spend time with her anymore because she wasn't fun or special like his wolf-friends, not listening when Jacob tried to tell her that it wasn't the reason for Jacob not hanging out with her. On and on would she go about how she wasn't good enough to be Jacob's friend and how she was an idiot thinking Jacob would want to spend time with her, like she had been an idiot thinking she deserved to have the love of someone as wonderful as Edward. No wonder that Edward didn't want her because she was such a loser she would moan, and how could she have thought she was worthy of his love.

Jacob tried to explain that he couldn't abandon his duties to his tribe. She didn't seem to hear this, but dear god did she hear when Jacob criticized Edward and questioned if the leech even knew what love was. She stopped crying then and started yelling at Jacob about him being a prejudiced dumb mongrel who didn't understand anything about love and feelings. _Had he ever heard of Romeo and Juliet_ she shouted, and Jacob felt like he didn't understand anything she was saying anymore. Then she hung up, only to call back 30 seconds later sobbing hard and begging Jacob to forgive her, crying about what a horrible friend she was and that she truly understood if Jacob hated her now and never wanted to see her ever again. Jacob had to reassure her over and over again that he forgave her and tell her that he was and would stay her friend. After a while of trying to soothe her, Bella would start to feel a little better and stop crying.

Jacob tried, really tried, to help her, for instance by teaching her to do stuff when they were together so she would become a little more independent. Sure it might not seem as much to know how to change to oil in your car, but that was a start. If she knew how to do stuff on her own she might not feel so helpless all the time and that would give her self-confidence and getting self-confidence would lead to her to be able to get the guts to _try_ to stand on her own two feet.

Nobody should be as broken as Bella was and feeling like she did about herself, like she was worth nothing, thinking she wasn't special or beautiful, but it was tiering to listen to it. He tried to make her see that she was pretty and even more to have her realize that looks had nothing to do with being worth loving, because Jacob's sure he would just as crazy about Leah no matter what she looked like. Besides, now as a wolf he has come to realize that scents were much more attractive than the way someone looked anyway. Surely Bella could find a guy who would go crazy over her scent, like he was crazy about Leah's scent.

He tried to make Bella realize that being special didn't have anything to do with being a mythological creature either, that everyone was special in some way. He tried to make her understand that being a wolf or a vampire was more like being cursed and not something to be envious of, but she didn't seem to hear what he said. She just kept talking about how perfect the vampires were and how she was unworthy of their attention as a mere human. He couldn't understand how being cold both on the outside and inside equaled perfect, but maybe it was the sparkling of their skin and their money she had fallen for? A lot of girls seemed to like shiny things like in that song about diamonds being a girls best friend. Maybe this was what made Bella dazzled? Thinking about that Jacob feels grateful his heart had chosen a girl who's his equal in mind, heart and soul. Leah isn't blinded by shiny surfaces, she's down to earth and he knows she rather live in a tree-house with no money as long as she has her family with her, rather than in a fancy mansion living an empty emotionally cold life only caring about shopping and expensive stuff. Sure he doesn't know the Cullen's but that's how he imagines their lives, and if that makes him predjudiced according to Bella then so be it.

Jacob feels sorry for Bella, because she's a nice girl really, she's just so damaged and hurting so bad, and maybe not just by what the leech did to her. Bella never wants to talk about her mom or how it was for her growing up in Arizona but somehow Jacob senses things hadn't been good. She was already broken. It's funny how Jacob when he had met her at the beach last year had completely believed her flirtatious confident facade, buying it fully, but Jacob's sure the leech always saw Bella's weakness and was soon to exploit all her insecurities to lure her into his trap. If Jacob had been the one dating Bella he would have tried to help her build her self-confidence, but from what Jacob had heard Bella talk about the leech he got the image of the bloodsucker doing the exact opposite, making Bella even more dependent and unsure of herself, losing all her self-esteem until she was completely relaying on him and now without him barely able to breathe on her own.

The leech was a true predator, and predators smell the weakness in their prey, always going after the weakest and easiest kill. Jacob's sure Edward Cullen enjoyed breaking down Bella just as much as he did enjoy drinking blood, feasting on sucking her dry of her feelings, of life, slowly killing her, turning her into a complete shell, broken and as good as dead.

Bella reminded him of those hurt or stray animals he and Leah used to take care of as kids. Like that old smelly starving dog that they had found in Forks. Leah had brought the dog home but Sue told her to get him out ranting about all the deceases the dog probably carried. So they brought the dog to Jacob's, where Jacob and Leah fed it and gave it a bath, and Jacob had let it sleep in his bed where it had whimpered and cried pitifully all night keeping Jacob awake trying to comfort the dog. Turned out the dog was really ill. Jacob and Leah spent all their joint savings on taking him to the vet where the dog was diagnosed with cancer and was put to sleep so he wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

Somehow Bella is like that whimpering and shivering dog. He hopes that him helping Bella will have a happier ending than the dog had, that it will be a success story, like with the raven he and Leah had found next. The raven had a broken wing, and they nursed it to health with some aid from their fathers. The best part of that was that Leah had been over every day until it got dark watching over the raven together with him, and when it had healed they had set it out in the forest again and it had flown away and been happy, healthy and free. At least that's what Jacob liked to think. He hopes that Bella will become strong and healthy just like the raven. And free, that Bella can be free and take of flying.

They had also found a wolf stuck in a bear-trap of the sort that was illegal to use. They had released it, but in the process it had bitten Leah and there had been blood, lots of it. Leah was sad the wolf didn't trust them enough to let them look at it's hurt paw, but Jacob had been very angry at the wolf for biting his Leah, and he had bared his own teeth and tried to growl after it, telling Leah that if the wolf would come back Jacob would bite it right back so it would learn to not bite people who tried to help it. At his defens could be said that he wasn't very old at the time. Leah had laughed and told him that frightened animals bite not because they are evil because they are afraid. That was something Jacob thought of when Bella had her fits of rage. She was like a hurt and scared animal and that's why he let Bella yell at him and call him things like a stupid ignorant mutt or a lousy friend. That's why he forgave her every time, not giving up on helping her. He's determined to get her to stand on her own two feet, to help her feel better and get stronger.

Sure being friends with Bella is difficult, and he often feels like he was walking through a mine-field, always wondering about what to say and what not to say so she won't feel hurt or angry. But when she acts like that he always thinks about his father's words about how it's the responsibility of the strong to help the weak. Jacob's strong, strong enough to carry the weight of Bella when her own to feet don't seem to support her. His dad's friendship with Charlie Swan is also a contributing factor to why he wants to help her. His family owes Charlie, big time, because after all it had been Charlie who had pulled Billy out from the burning car and saved his life, even though Jacob's mother's life couldn't be saved.

So he'll call her even if he doesn't particularly feel like it. Bella has no other real friends, no one to talk to, and he doesn't like the idea of her or anyone else for that matter being lonely and sad. But he has his priorities and not even the needs of Bella will change that his first and foremost concern is and aways will be Leah.

Will Leah think he is pushy if he calls? Will she like it? What will he say? He doesn't know, all he knows is that he wants to hear her voice again not even hesitating as he dials the number to the Clearwater's. And yes, he knows it by heart. As always Jacob decides to trust his improvising skills and see where they will lead him. Something that's great with Leah is that he feels he can say whatever comes to mind without having to second guess her reactions to his words or worry about putting his foot in his mouth. Leah won't start to cry if he says something stupid, she'll just make him know he made a mistake and they might argue, but it'll blow over, whereas Bella could bring up things he had said weeks ago and hold them against him.

Seth's the one who answers, bubbling with excitement when he learns that it's Jacob calling and then getting equally disappointed when Jacob asks to speak to Leah.

"Do you need help tutoring?" Seth asks sounding dejected and he gives Jacob the perfect reason for calling Leah.

"Sure, sure!" Jacob mentally thanks Seth. Leah is or has been tutoring a lot of the kids on the rez, and she gets a lot of requests for help with school work, so it's natural Seth assumes Jacob's calling for that reason. Even Rachel had Leah help her, and Leah had practically written Rachel's college application letter. No wonder it was so good.

Leah tutoring him, that's a perfect idea. He couldn't have thought of a better plan himself. It's partly true, him needing help with his school-work, because ever since phasing his grades have been suffering. Not that he's ever been the most diligent student, but his excellent memory, good improvising skills and logic got him nicely through school without having to put much of an effort in to it. His grades used to be pretty good, but now his grades are barely decent, mostly due to his high absence and his non-existent homework.

Leah tutoring him would mean spending a lot of one-on-one time with her, sitting closely together huddled over their school books. Close together will mean his body _accidentally_ brushing against hers _a lot_ and he'll get the perfect opportunity to smell the crook of her neck when she bends down over his books to check if he has done the work correctly and when her long raven hair flows over their books he'll have a reason to touch it and play with it. It's perfect!

He knows the perfect place to study too, and it's not the garage or the kitchen table that he has used for studying with Bella. No, with Leah he will study in his room, which is perfect for two reasons. The first is that it's a fantasy of his, ever since turning wolf, to get her scent to cover his den. That will be both calming and rousing, it will inflame and soothe him whenever he's in his small sanctuary after a rough day of protecting the rez. The second reason is that since his room is so small they'll have to sit on his bed, which would soon enough lead them to lie down on it together, because intense studying requires many long breaks and breaks are best enjoyed in a horizontal position. Then they would listen to music and listening to music lying on his bed will lead to kissing! And kissing will lead to making-out and making out...

Then her voice is on the other end of the line and Jacob feels so happy he doesn't even notice how he ends up tangled up in the phone chord, earning an amused expression from his father who considerately enough wheels himself into the living room to give Jacob some privacy.

"So what subject do you need help with?" Leah asks.

"All of them!" he says happily, congratulating himself for being a genius like that. Having her help with all his school subjects will mean spending a lot of time with her and a lot of time laying on his bed. And a lot of time kissing!

"Jake! How can you be failing all subjects?! You could have straight A's if you wanted to and put your mind to it. I know that Jake, because I know you! You're just being lazy." she berates and Jacob feels his heart leap with happiness that she gets this worked up over his bad grades. That means she cares about him. A lot. " For someone really smart that's kind of dumb Jake. Don't you want to make something of yourself? You can't fail school. Even if you don't want to study at college _now_, you might want to later on in life." she rants.

"That's why I'm calling you. Will you help me?" If she goes to college he'll go too! To be with her! Leah's smart, but she's also ambitious and hard-working and has the best grades in La Push tribal school's history. Jacob knows that she's working this hard to get a full scholarship to college since moneys tight for her family as it's for most families on the rez. He's very proud of her, he is, but the thought of Leah going to college also makes Jake feel apprehensive. Will she forget about him while at college? He does want her to have everything she wants in life, but the wolf doesn't like the thought of Leah gone at all, not one bit. She can't leave! Not without him. He'll go after her. He loves La Push, it's his home, his territory, but for Leah he would travel to the end of the world if she asked him to.

She consents to helping him without any hesitation. "Sure. We'll start tomorrow. It's not like I got anything better to do anyway since the Newton's told that they didn't need me anymore now that they got Bella Swan." she grumbles.

Jake gets why she's upset, it's not easy to find work on the rez or in Forks when the tourist season is over, and they all need extra cash. Leah's probably saving hers for college, the same as Bella. It's good Bella's got a job because that will give her something to do in her spare time instead of her wallowing in misery locked up in her room, but it sucks that she got the job that used to be Leah's.

"It's not Bella's fault, I'm just pissed because I heard Mrs Newton say to her husband that it was better for business to have Bella there. And do you know why?!" Leah pauses dry humor lacing her rant.

"Because you scare off the customers?!" Jacob teases and Leah starts laughing.

"That's exactly why! You know the Newton's try to sell shit gear to stupid inexperienced hikers, stuff they don't need, "forgetting" to tell them about the stuff they do need, just because Newton's don't sell it. So when I told the customers not buy useless crap Mrs Newton would tell me I had a bad attitude. I know you're Bella's friend and all, and that she's had a really hard time recently, but I think it's kind of funny that a girl who is the opposite of anything outdoorsy and has never done a single sport in her life works at the Newton's selling hiking and sport equipment. I guess the Newton's thinks that's good because she won't tell the customers that they shouldn't buy shit equipment just because it has a fancy label, since she can't tell the difference herself. Mrs Newton didn't exactly like that I recommended buying fishing gear on the rez either." she laughs.

"Maybe she didn't like that you socked Mike Newton in the face?" Jacob suggests chuckling, the rumor of that incident spreading all over the rez since it had been witnessed by none other than Quil, the reservations second biggest gossiper, Old Quil still holding the top position. It's surprising with the big mouths the Ateara's got that they've managed to keep the wolf-business a secret.

"He was trying to feel me up. He had it coming, believe me." Leah defends herself.

Jacob almost growls out loud as the wolf inside in him gets enraged by the thought of an unworthy parasite like Mike trying to touch his female. If Mike would try that ever again Jacob would make sure to bite a big chunk out of Mike's leg.

"How's Bella?" Leah asks and Jacob is taken by surprise by her question.

"Uh... okay I guess. Why?" he answers a little confused by the topic.

"Dunno, kind of been thinking about her. You know Charlie's turned down all fishing trips with dad the last six months because he's so worried about Bella and he hasn't come over to dinner once. He used to be over all the time before... I think it's good you're being Bella's friend. I saw her the other day and she looks like she's doing a little better now than before and I think it's because of you. Did she tell you that I tried to hang out with her a couple of months ago?" Leah asks. He didn't know that and is very surprised by this piece of information.

"Thought I'd try to help her out since I felt like I could relate to having my heart broken by a douche-bag ex-boyfriend, but I guess I wasn't the right person for her to talk to. Especially not when I suggested we make a list of all the things we hated about the idiots. She just kept on and on about how perfect Edward Cullen was, that there wasn't a single fault in him, that it was all her fault not being good enough for him. Made me furious to listen to that shit, really wanted to shake some sense into her. I even went as far as asking her to come with me to a kick-boxing class, I thought that it would do her good to get some pent-up aggression out of her system imagining her ex-boyfriends face on the punching bag she would be kicking, but she didn't want to go. I think she's scared of me."

Jacob smiles, he can very well picture Bella being very intimidated by Leah's intensity and angry raving, but he also thinks that Leah has a kind heart trying to reach out to a girl she doesn't know and who really isn't the kind of girl Leah normally would hang out with.

That leads him to think of a question he feels he needs to ask, even if the answer will hurt him and even if it's an uncomfortable subject, "Do you... do you still have feelings for Sam?" he asks, his voice becoming unsure and quiet compared to his normal loud booming, and he has to fight to hold the snarl back as Sam's name passes his lips.

She's silent for a long while and Jacob fears he has made a mistake asking that question, making uncomfortable memories surface for her, but he has to know and there's that something in what she said about her trying to be there for Bella that makes him feel the question is important. Because maybe Leah didn't have anyone to talk to about her feelings, and if he could sit and listen to Bella gush over the "perfect" leech, his mortal enemy, he could sit and listen to Leah curse Sam and even cry over him. He might not like it, but he could and would listen to her even if he rather never hear Sam's name on Leah's lips ever again. But a real friend would listen and he's determined to prove that he is, always was and always will be her friend. And more. That he can be so much more if she only let him.

"I... I don't really think about him that much anymore. First I was really hurt and angry and hated him, but now I... He's not worth it, I'm better off without him. That's what I tried tell Bella too, like no guy's worth losing yourself over. Sure it still hurts, like how he lied to me, that really sucks, how he didn't even respect me enough to tell me to my face it was over. But I don't want him back. I never would take him back." she says after a long hesitant pause.

"I've been kind of thinking that maybe I dated Sam for all the wrong reasons to begin with. I liked that he was older and cute and used to do all kinds of sweet stuff for me so I felt special, like he made me special. And that's stupid to think that a guy's the one making you into somebody. Like, wasn't I somebody already before meeting him?!" Leah's starting to sound angry.

"You've always been something else Lee!" Jacob tells her, because it's true. And he's upset that she's been thinking that Sam's the one making her special. She's always been special, always, and Sam has nothing to do with how goddamn special she is and always will be.

"Damn right! I'm awesome! I've always been, I don't know how I let myself become so blind while dating Sam. I think I kept on dating him because it was convenient and I never stopped to think about our relationship. It was pretty damn boring to be honest. We were so wrong for each other, you know, like he never made me laugh and he always acted like he was embarrassed of me when I got a little loud or opinionated, which meant that he was embarrassed all the time and I was pissed at him for trying to get me to quiet down, and when I got pissed he left. He never once argued back, always running and hiding like scared little puppy. God, I hated that!"

"You deserve better!" Jacob tells her. That's exactly what he has been trying to tell her ever since she started dating him, but he's smart enough to hold in the 'told you so'.

"I know! I fuckin' deserve much better!" she exclaims.

"I'm good at arguing. And I'm even louder than you!" Jacob informs her. He would argue with Leah if that was what she wanted from him. He was really good at it too, he could hold the opposite opinion of anything Leah said just for the fun of it and he loved when she got riled up because she looked so incredibly sexy then.

Leah chuckles.

"And I make you laugh too." he adds his voice filling with hope, wishing Leah will realize that he is that_ 'much better' _that she deserves.

"Yeah, I guess you do Jake..."

There's a slight pause before she continues, "You know what the most fucked up is. It's Emily. What she did is so much worse than Sam. And that's what hurts the most, that's why I can't get past it like I could if Sam just had dumped me for some other girl. She's my fuckin' cousin, claiming she's my friend. Best friend even. I don't get it, how could she? Go behind my back like that? It hurts like hell and makes me so fuckin' angry at her."

And Jacob doesn't have an answer to that, because he can't understand Emily's actions either.

"Maybe the fat in all those muffins she keeps baking have clogged her brain?" Jacob offers and Leah snickers.

"Sorry, don't know why I'm telling you this. You probably don't want to hear me go on about it."

"I like talking to you." Jacob says. He'd listen to her talk about any subject. "I'm sorry for not being there for you." he softly tells her and she falls silent once again. "I should've taken you to a kick boxing class or have you punch me in the face to get out your aggressions out and not... and not try to...uh...."

He's interrupted by her soft chuckling, "Thanks Jake. Yeah, that would've been good, especially the punching you in the face part. " and then she laughs a real bubbly happy laugh and he laughs too, not reminding her that she kind of did that after he kissed her on the cliffs.

It's so easy talking to Leah. He feels high after they hang up silently whispering _I love you _and imagining her answering _I love you too_ as he untangles himself from the phone chord, before he dials Bella's number.

The dreary feeling he often has when he calls Bella isn't there. He feels light and happy.

"I've been waiting for you to call and you line has been occupied for almost half-an hour now." Bella whines.

"I've been talking to Leah." he tells her not getting affected by her depressive tone.

"What?! Why? Didn't you get my messages? I needed you Jake!"

"I've been on patrol. What did you want Bella?" he says keeping his tone light. Her whining doesn't bother him right now, he's picturing his study-date with Leah tomorrow. Maybe he'll suggest that his dad should go fishing so he can be completely alone with Leah? Or is it better to have his dad there, watching TV so they can't sit in the living room if Leah would suggest that but have to be in his room?

"I just wanted to talk, but I guess you have more important things to do like calling Leah than talking to me. I'm not as exciting or pretty as her!" Bella yells slamming the phone down and Jacob is met by the ringing of the dial tone. Conversations with Bella require a map and a compass to know what to say and what not to say so Bella won't spiral down her route of self-loathing, self-pity or anger, and once again he's somehow managed to take the wrong turn without really saying anything.

He sighs, and decides to not to call her back, and really he doesn't need to since the phone rings before he has time to exit the kitchen.

"I'm sorry Jake! Please forgive me." Bella begs sobbing. "Can we hang out tomorrow?"

"I'm patrolling and then Leah's gonna tutor me." he tells her. He hasn't meant to ask it but the hurt in Bella's voice makes him want to reach out to her too, and maybe Leah could teach Bella something about self-confidence, even if it messes his plans up. "You can study with us too!"

"No!" Bella barks sounding upset. "I wouldn't want to intrude when you found a better tutor than me. I guess my help isn't as good as Leah's. She's probably much smarter than me anyway and I'll only be in your way" and then she hangs up on Jacob again.

Even protectors get enough, so the next time the phone rings, which it does exactly one minute later, he lets his father answer and tell Bella that Jacob has gone out. It's kind of true too, since he's going out because he wants to get that light happy feeling back he got from talking to Leah, and what can be better than taking a peek at her from outside her window?

* * *

**AN: **

**Billy: "Jacob, where have you been, and why are your hands covered in at least ten different paint colors?"**

**Jacob: "I've been painting the reviewers sheds, fences and walls as a thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter! It's fun!"**

**Billy: "I hope you got paid, son."**

**Jacob (excited): "I did!"**

**Billy: "Then put the money into your savings account."**

**Jacob (confused): "But dad, I got paid in kisses. Kisses are better than money!"**

**Billy (sternly): "Kisses won't pay the rent or put food on the table."**

**Jacob (mutters): "It will too. I'm sure the readers will feed me and let me stay with them if I kiss them! (to the reviewers) Tell dad he's wrong, that you'll feed me, and give me shelter if I kiss you each and every day, all day and night. Besides I need a lot of kisses since I still haven't got one from Leah."**


	12. Chapter 12

**HOWLIN' WOLF  
**

The light seeping through from the kitchen window is warm and homely, a sharp contrast to the wet and cold ground Jacob's lying on, hidden in the darkness. The human boy, who has always been very interested in knowing how things work, could probably tell one or two things about how electricity and light bulbs create this light, but the wolf knows different. Inside is a Goddess who possesses the magic of making everything around her glow and light up. _She_ is the source of the light inside the house that radiates outside and touches his paws that he has stretched out to take part of the glory of _her_ magical gift. She's like the sun that warms the russet wolf during the day, that makes everything live and grow. She's like the moon that he gazes up at in wonder at night, mysterious, beautiful and guiding him in the dark of night.

Slowly he crawls closer, belly touching the grass. Closer and closer, drawn like a moth to a flame, until his nose is almost pressed towards the glass of the kitchen window. His beautiful female is inside, talking to her mother, both women with their backs turned to him. Even through the walls he can smell the heavenly scent of her, and when an especially wonderful whiff of her scent filters outside the wolf can't help but to try to lick her through the kitchen window.

It's a major disappointment to the russet wolf that the window doesn't taste like Leah at all, but tastes like a glass window would; acrid and somehow like sand mixed with rain, making him whine quietly in disappointment.

"_Man! You're killing me Jake!" _Paul snickers through the mind-link and instantly Jacob bristles. "_This is better than watching Quil getting kicked in the groin when he tries to put his moves on the girls at school. Dude, you're even more clueless than him."_

Why couldn't that stupid asshole shut up and concentrate on his patrolling like he's supposed to and stay the hell out of Jacob's head?! Jacob really hates the mind-link. Sure, they could coordinate better because of it, but it's also distracting as hell to constantly take part of the disarray of thoughts and feelings coming from several minds, and to struggle to keep their own thoughts, dreams and fantasies private. Like now. It's putting a damper on everything. Here he is enjoying his evening, spending it in the best possible way - or maybe the _next_ best, since the best would be to actually be inside together with her - but of course that jackass named Paul has to annoy the hell out of him by making his presence known and reminding Jacob of him and Jared being able to take part of everything Jacob sees, feels and thinks. This is fuckin' private!

"S_top whining, Black! Gotta love free entertainment! Makes patrol much more fun. It's Saturday night and I could be banging that Lauren-chick in Forks or be at a party, but you don't hear me bitch and whine about it. Instead I make the best of it, enjoying some soft porn starring Kim courtesy of my man Jared, and you, my young friend, provide the comedy." _Paul informs and Jacob growls a warning. One that Paul doesn't heed since he's miles away running the outskirts of their border together with Jared.

Luckily Jared's not appreciating the comment of him being the provider of soft porn starring his precious Kim. Sometimes imprinting can come in handy, even though Jacob despises the concept of it, since any comment about Kim makes Jared go ballistic. Hopefully he will take a big chunk out of Paul's ass, big enough to shut him up for a long time! Jared snapping his jaws and trying to attack Paul keeps both their minds occupied with each other. Thank Taha Aki! He can enjoy gazing at Leah in peace a little while longer.

His eyes caress her beautiful curvy frame, inhaling deeply to catch whatever of her heavenly scent that wafts outside, and her deep sensual voice both lulls and excites him.

For some reason the wolf is strangely elated and edgy tonight, even more than usual when in close vicinity of Leah. The feeling is similar to the kind of restlessness Jacob used to feel as a kid while waiting for Christmas or his birthday. Something wonderful will happen soon. He can taste the promise of it in the air. _Maybe Leah will finally kiss him,_ the boy wishes.

_My mate...she will be my mate... _the wolf decides. _Soon! By his side. His mate!  
_

Everything about Leah is simply _more_ tonight. Her scent, the way she moves, her voice. All of them more intriguing than ever. There's a hidden meaning to everything she does, telling tales of some wonderful secret that soon will unravel itself to the wolf. He can sense it in her every movement, every action, like in the way she's stripping off her sweater until she only wears a tank-top, taking off her pants and putting on some old soccer-shorts from the laundry-pile she and Sue are busy folding, complaining about it being so freakin' hot inside, to which Sue shakes her head, pulling her cardigan tighter around her.

"_A strip show! Sweet! Come on Leah, come on, take of that tank top, I know you want to and the shorts too. I wonder what kind of underwear she wears? Hey Jared, don't you think that red lace bra Kim was wearing the other night in your fantasy would look great on Leah?"_ Paul comments and both Jacob and Jared growl menacingly. Jared actually managing to bitePaul quite painfully in the flank this time, and far away Jacob can feel the fur flying as they growl wrestling and biting each other.

Jacob lets the intruding idiot fade away from his mind as he focuses on watching Leah again, trying hard to ignore Paul's annoying voice, trying to keep his own thoughts as blank as possible.

"Why are you soaked in perfume, mom?" Leah asks making a face and Sue looks at her astonished. "Everything smells so much tonight. It gives me a headache."

"Honey, I've sprayed the exact same amount perfume I've been for over 20 years now, and it was this morning. I barely can smell it on me anymore." Sue tells her smelling her own wrist.

"Leah's right, mom! I can smell the perfume too, even up to here! I can smell _everything_!" Seth yells from his room on the second floor, where he's inhaling deeply, and audibly enough for Jacob to hear. "Mom, are there cookies in the kitchen? I can smell them! I'm coming down and I'm gonna find them..." Seth shouts barging downstairs.

Jake can smell the mouth-watering cookies too, but as always he's delirious enough by Leah's scent that he don't care even if Sue's peanut butter cookies are world famous and his favorites.

"Oh dear, that boy must have a cookie-radar. I was saving them for your father to take to the council meeting tomorrow." Sue sighs. "I still don't get how you claim that I smell like I'm been soaking in perfume... I can't smell anything." she wonders looking at Leah, smelling her own wrist once again, even going into the living-room where Harry is making him smell her too, who like Sue can't smell anything out of ordinary with Sue's perfume usage.

The wolf outside the kitchen window is cocking his head watching, listening and sensing what transpires inside the Clearwater's home, feeling that he knows an answer deep within him, deep in his soul, to a question he doesn't know how to pose. What is the question? Could he only figure that out, he would know the answer too.

But he doesn't have time to ponder on it, even if he feels like he almost knows, has the answer on the tip of his tongue, already tasting it, because when Leah saunters in to the living-room as Seth persuades her, Sue and Harry to play Sing Star with him, Jacob follows, rushing around to the other side of the house, so he can peer in through the living-room window.

His female is grinning while Sue and Seth start to sing, her eyes shining with mirth. The wolf's heart swells looking at her so cheerful. Noticing that she's munching on the cookies Seth was able to sniff out, he feels satisfied his female takes such delight in eating and that she gets the deliciously smelling treats she deserves. It will keep her happy and healthy and give her lots of energy to keep up with him as they play around in the forest together. Eating them will make her feel good, and when she feels good he feels good too. And best of all the wolf doesn't have to leave his happy gazing spot to go and hunt those rabbits he has been smelling for a while now, rabbits he has been thinking of bringing to her as a treat, leaving them on her window sill.

Soon it's her and Harry's turn to sing. She's glowing as she performs, doing a very funny looking dance.

The wolf wants to be inside with her! He's bobbing his head up and down in time with her movements, taking bouncing steps, tail wagging in frenzy. He wants to dance with her! He could jump around her and bounce gently against her, playfully nip at her perfectly rounded ass cheeks and then throw his paws on her shoulders before licking her face. She would throw her arms around his frame and soon the two of them would be rolling on the floor together.

_Oh... he wants to play with her..._

The wolf's excitement and desire to play with her pushes the human side of Jacob very far to the back of their joint mind, because surely the human would've realized that he can't very well join them inside in his wolf form. And he's not exactly carrying any clothes with him.

The wolf smartly races to the front door where he noticed a way for canine animals to go in. Harry used to have a hunting dog years ago, and that's why there's a doggie door set into the door. The wolf tries to push his head through the doggie door, but only gets his snout inside.

_Smells so good..._

The wolf whines miserably when hears his females laughter inside and the happy voices of her father's pack. He wants to join them, after all he's a wolf and wolves are social creatures. Can't they hear him whine?

_I'm here... Let me in!_

He gets on his hind legs and brings his paws to the door starting to scratch furiously as he whines as loudly as he can, calling for them to come and open the door and let him in!

_"JACOB! What the hell are you doing? Are you out of your mind?!" _Jared screams in his thoughts.

_"Get the fuck outta there!"_ Paul adds shouting. _"You can't let them see you! Have you fuckin' lost it?!"_

Being called, the human side of Jacob wakes and forces the wolf in him to stop, making them both dash madly back in to the woods, reaching the trees at the same time as the door opens, Seth peering outside.

"I swear, I heard a dog outside. It smells exactly like a dog. Like if..." He takes deep breathes "...if Jacob would own a dog it would smell like this."

"What are you talking about Sethy?" Leah asks peeking her head out too, mimicking her brother's sniffing of the air. "It... it smells _good_." she mumbles closing her eyes. "Real good!"

"There are claw marks on the door too! They are huge. The dog must've been enormous, like a bear!" Seth adds staring wide-eyed at their front door, making a confused face at Leah who still stay with her eyes closed inhaling deeply, looking blissful.

"Kids. Let's go back inside, it was probably a stray dog running around." Harry says ushering his children back inside, lingering a while at the door, staring straight in to the woods. Shaking his head, chuckling and making a tsssk-sound. "Someone needs to come and repaint the door." Harry says grinning, still staring straight into the woods, his smile growing even wider as Seth suggests they could ask Jacob to help them do it.

"_Man, you're cracking me up. Whining like a lost puppy and scratching their door. You want a doggieblanket to lie on and to be scratched behind your ear? Maybe they'll even get you a collar! And you want to lick Leah's pretty little face. Aw, that's puppy love for you!" _Paul barks in laughter. "_I would lick something else though..."_ And then very crude images of Paul putting his dirty tongue on his female, everywhere on his female, fill their minds, and never has Jacob been as livid.

Leah is _his! _How _dare _Paul think of her like that? No one is to lick her pussy and breast but him, those parts of her body are his... _Every part of her body is his...Should be his...Will be his!_

_MINE!_

_"Aw, how cute, the puppy's jealous and possessive." _Paul mocks.

"_Shut the fuck up!" _Jacob growls at Paul, the thought so strong he can feel the force of it as it slams into Paul's mind miles away. Surprisingly Paul shuts up. Odd, Paul's never one to keep his thoughts to himself or listen to Jacob when he tells him to shut up. That usually only makes Paul leer even worse. It's almost like he commanded Paul to shut up. _What the fuck? _He didn't know he could do that. Is it some kind of beta power? He's not been aware he had one, and it sure hasn't manifested it self ever before. He's told Paul to shut up numerous of times and nothing has ever happened expect when Sam commanded them both to shut up with his fuckin' annoying alpha voice. _Damn!_ Jacob hadn't meant to command Paul to be quiet by taking away his free will, even though it's great not to hear his stupid-ass comments.

Jacob hates the way Sam uses the Alpha command and he would never do it like Sam, no matter what kind of moronic thoughts run through some idiots mind, he won't force someone like that, ever.

"_Fuck Paul, I... I didn't mean for that to happen. Shit..." _Jacob thinks. "_You don't... I mean that's not a fuckin' command, you can think whatever the fuck you want to think."_ and by that the unintentional choke hold on Paul's mind breaks.

"_Whatever."_ Paul's thought is clipped. Paul's clearly extremely upset, so upset in fact that he doesn't even make any snide comments, instead he simply phases out without a word.

"_What the hell happened?"_ Jared asks, the wolf in him sending off strong waves of anxiety and discomfort.

"_I don't fuckin know."_ Jacob mutters as the happiness he was feeling from watching Leah starts fleeting away from him. Depressed he lies down and Jared's smart enough to keep his thoughts as silent as he can, focusing on his surroundings only occasionally slipping to thinking of Kim.

Jacob's stays hidden by the darkness and the trees, but he has a clear vision of everything that goes on inside of the living-room, eyes still locked on Leah. Looking at her makes him feel better and soon the butterflies are flipping in his stomach again, making him forget about the weird way he accidentally forced his will on Paul commanding like he would have the authority and power to do so.

When Harry and Leah grip the microphone for the third or maybe fourth time, and Seth and Sue hum along to the tune they're singing, the russet wolf's eyes once again gleam with brightness, his tail wags, his jaws hang wide open and soon he's singing too. His howl adding beautifully to the chorus, or at least that's what the wolf thinks.

"Dad! I think the wolf's singing with us! Maybe it was the wolf who scratched our door too." Jacob hears Seth exclaim eagerly and Leah bursts in laughter.

"Wolf singing... Oh Seth... Dad, we must be pretty bad making a wolf howl when hearing us!"

_Why have they stopped howling?_ The russet wolf wants them to howl together with him again. It was fun!

The wolf calls for them to join in his singing by making his howls even more forceful and inviting. He puffs out his chest, hoping his females father will hear what a fine specimen of a wolf he is, perfectly suitable for the daughter inside of the den.

Surely her father must be impressed by his very manly howling. Will the old male soon send his daughter out in to the woods to find him? To live with him? To be his? _Call her... call her to him..._

"I think the wolf wants us to sing with it. Come on! Dad, Leah, mom! Let's sing!" Seth urges his family somehow seeming to understand a little about what the wolf wants. But Leah does something even better. She lets out a howl of her own, a very wolf-like howl and the russet wolf has never felt happier, as the two of them howl in perfect harmony.

When he finally will win her and make her his, they'll spend every night howling like this together in joy, howling for the fun of it, howling out of love, howling to let everyone know that they belong together.

He would keep on singing like this the entire night calling her to him if that idiot Sam wouldn't once again ruin it all. The controlling bastard shifts the minute he hears Jacob's wolf-song. _Fuck!_ Sam's always sticking his ugly snout in Jacob's business.

Sam's annoying presence silences the russet wolf's happy calls for his mate, because who the fuck wants to howl of joy when that bastard is near? With Sam present there's only one kind of howl Jacob would like to let out, a warning to signal that the Clearwater's house is part of Jacob's territory and not Sam's.

Sam once again starts to lecture him, this time about how they aren't animals but humans who sometimes can _take_ the shape of an animal, and that doesn't mean that they should lower themselves to the level of becoming animals or acting like animals.

"_Humans don't howl Jacob! Why would you want to howl?"_ Sam asks like the dumbass he is. Why would Jacob howl? Because it's fun! Especially together with his girl, but Sam doesn't understand anything about having fun.

"_Howls are only to be used to alert of danger or for summoning the pack!"_

Jacob hackles rise form listening to Sam's idiotic lecture, phasing out when he can't take it anymore. He'll howl just as much as he wants to! Whenever he wants to, and just to piss Sam off he throws his head backwards once more and lets out another ear-shattering howl as he briskly starts walking home. What the hell does Sam think of himself exactly? Isn't it fucked up for someone who turns into a wolf himself to think that humans are somehow above animals. Humans are animals too. How the fuck can Sam be ignorant enough to not know this? How can he missed the basic teachings of their Quileute heritage? They fuckin' stem from wolves. If anything they are more wolves than humans.

Sam wants them to ignore their wolf instincts as much as possible, claiming it's dangerous to listen to the wolves inside of them. Jacob's certain that's one of the reasons why they haven't managed to catch that red-headed leech yet, because thinking and forming strategies like humans muffle the instincts that Jacob knows, can feel, would lead them to the right decisions intuitively. But according to Sam only a crazy person, an ignorant animal would trust his gut, keeping on and on about how feelings or inner logic never can surpass a well-informed mind. Becoming a spiritwalker didn't, couldn't mean clinging on to ideas of distancing yourself from what you had become, what you were - an animal.

Sure Jacob hasn't exactly been thrilled about becoming a wolf before, but the more he is shifted, the more he feels his wolf, the more he thinks he can learn to live in perfect harmony with his wolfself, making him better a tuned with his spirit, his soul. Jacob knows he hasn't found the perfect balance yet, sometimes being too much human, and other times too much wolf, but he will get there if Sam would leave him the fuck alone and let him explore his wolfside in peace.

* ~ * ~ * ~ *

Jacob's standing in front of the bathroom mirror brushing his teeth and even flossing, before testing his breath. It's minty fresh. He makes a mental note to brush his teeth carefully later, right before Leah arrives. He has a lot of things to organize before his patrol and he didn't get nearly enough sleep last night since he had felt so restless that he had a hard time falling asleep, the wolf inside of him urging him to go back to the Clearwater's. But for what? It's like the wolf knows something but Jacob doesn't understand what his spirit is telling him, and he couldn't exactly shift to find out, since Sam ran patrol for the rest of the night simply to control that Jacob wouldn't return to the Clearwater's.

Jacob's thinking about all the things he needs to do, like going to the store and buying breath mints and he needs chapstick so his lips will look really smooth and kissable. And he's going to buy chocolate chip ice-cream. The expensive kind. And chocolate syrup too. Chocolate chip ice-cream with chocolate syrup always put his sisters in a very good mood. Hopefully it will put Leah in a kissing mood. He's not much for chocolate or sweets himself, but he doubts eating fish fry or rabbit stew will have the same effect chocolate might. Like maybe Leah will want him to lick the chocolate ice-cream from her fingers? He could even cover himself entirely in chocolate ice-cream if that would mean that Leah would lick that off his chest.

_Mhhm...Leah's deliciously pink, wet and warm tongue trails his chest circling his nipples, drawing wonderful secret messages on his chest, old magic patterns trailing downwards... Oh Leah...He wants her...so bad..._

He might have gotten rid of his morning wood earlier, but these new exciting images wakes Champion to live again, making him burn and demand to be stroked. _Fuck. _Jacob groans of both desire and annoyance. He doesn't have time for another session with his rigid cock right now, he has so much to take care of before patrol.

Fuck. His hand is already bidding Champions command, refusing to listen to Jacob's mind. He tries telling of all the things he needs to have done before going on patrol, things that if sone right might lead to very pleasing results for Champion too, but if Jacob often has a hard time spelling the word patience and later, Champion has never heard neither.

Cold shower. Ha! That'll teach Champion from trying to rule Jacob's life! Jacob is in command of his own life. At least Jacob likes to pretend he is, but he's not foolish enough to pretend that he's in control of Champion, because he has long time ago learned that his cock has a will and mind quite of his own.

After taking care of his predicament - and yes, it did take a little longer than he thought it would to quell Champions will to be paid reverence to despite how freezing he turned the temperature of the shower - he continues with his preparations.

The first is to make sure the kitchen table is cluttered with things so it can't be used for studying. That's why he takes their ancient toaster and starts taking it apart, spreading the pieces on the table making it look like some kind of fixing-project going on. He also starts taking part their old radio.

"What are you up to Jake?" His dad asks looking at his handiwork.

"Uh... it's a project." Jacob grins.

He has a great plan that will involve his father too.

"Really? You're trying to build the first ever toaster-radio?" Billy laughs at his own, and in Jacob's opinion very lame joke, but Jacob laughs too. It's good his dad is in a good mood. Of course his dad is pretty much always in a good mood, but Jacob has a suggestion for Billy. Well it's more like a demand, although he'll try to make it sound like a suggestion, and being in a good mood always makes people more willing to follow his plans.

"Dad? There's a lot of good programs you'll like on TV tonight." Jacob says handing over the TV-guide where he has circled in programs for his father to watch. They will go on non-stop for several hours from the time Leah shows up. In fact he's pretty much circled every single program in the TV-guide, especially the loud ones.

"Do you know it's good to watch TV with very loud volume, it makes the shows much better. You should try that!" Jacob adds. That's another of his brilliant ideas, because it will mean that Jacob will have to close the door to his room so that he and Leah won't be disturbed in their studying.

His father looks like Jacob has grown a second head before he starts laughing so hard it looks like he's about to fall off the wheelchair.

"Son, I think it might best you keep the door open to your room... At least slightly ajar..." his dad chuckles. "And I expect you to be _studying_, since it is a _study_-date. Maybe your grades will go up too, but more importantly I think you should concentrate on _studying_ in a manner that doesn't require the door to be closed."

Jacob frowns. Sure it will be fun to simply spend time with Leah, lots of fun, but it can't even be described in words how awesome it would be to spend half the study-date in an insanely hot make-out session with her. Of course he won't push for it, he'll just make preparations for it, and be prepared if it will happen. That's what the chapstick, breath mints and ice-cream are for. Preparation. Who is he to deny Leah if she wishes to kiss him instead of studying once she sees his shiny lips, smells his fresh breath and gets turned on by the chocolate? He would of course have to kiss her back, and that's why the door would be better off closed, because Leah might get so inspired that she would demand that he'll take off his t-shirt so she could sprinkle the chocolate syrup on him. Leah might also realize that he's the type of person who learns and remembers best by learning with his body, like by touching. Trigonometry for instance could be really interesting if he was to calculate the angles of nicely drawn triangles on Leah's body with the chocolate syrup. He sure would find inspiration to thousands of essays by touching and looking at her body, he would remember every fact of any subject if he memorized them while touching an looking at specific parts of Leah's body. Each beauty mark, like the cute one on her nose, representing a fact to remember, each strand of her hair carrying the meaning of not just her, but a particular school subject. If they would engage in this mode or learning he soon be an honor student just like Leah. He only has to make Leah see that this learning style will be best to improve his grades. But it would be awkward if his dad wheeled past them while he was trying to memorize for instance a chemical formula by licking of the written formulas of Leah's toned thighs.

"Jacob! I'm not telling you what to do, I'm simply advising you to take it slow if you want to keep Leah studying with you. Take it slow!"

Jacob's stubborn, he knows this himself, and people love to point it out to him too, but his father's words might be getting through to him. A little bit at least. At least it makes Jacob come to think of a good question, because Leah's signals are sometimes very confusing to him.

"How do you know if a girl wants you to kiss her?"

"You're planning on kissing someone?" his dad teases and Jacob almost blushes... Well, okay he does.

"Do I know the girl? Is she pretty?" his dad continues his teasing and Jacob can't help the goofy smile on his eager face.

"She's very pretty" he sighs dreamily. "And she's funny and smart and she always speaks her mind. She doesn't care what others think of her, she's always herself. And I like her. Very much. We would be perfect together."

His dad laughs, and his eyes are soft. He puts his hand on Jacob's shoulder. "You'll know when Leah wants you to kiss her."

"But how?"

"Read her signals. The eye-contact, how she reacts to your touch, if she seems to trust you enough, and most of all take it slow! Compliments won't hurt either to get you there, but on the other hand those Clearwater women won't be wooed by a few pretty words." his dad chuckles. "Harry ended up with more than one black-eye when he was trying to get Sue to go out with him."

"How did Harry get Sue to marry him then?" This is _very_ interesting information. Jacob really has to get Harry talking about how he managed to tame Sue, since those same tricks might work on Leah.

"Persistence and patience. Harry's always been good with wild animals, and Sue's as wild as they come, although that daughter of hers might be even wilder." His dad chuckles. "Might have helped that Harry was very good at blocking punches and knees aiming for the groin too. Sue was famous for her legs for more reasons than one, and knowing Sue I think she might have taught her daughter to the Sue neuter-kick."

Jacob winces inwardly. He doesn't want Leah to knee him in the groin.

Maybe the reason why she hasn't done it already is because she likes him? Could that be it? It had to be! That's something Jacob really likes to believe, so he decides that's the right conclusion. It wouldn't make any sense for Leah to hurt Wolfman and Chief Junior Black, because if his boys got seriously injured then she too would end up risking her own future pleasure coming from his boys. Surely she wouldn't want to risk that if she cared about him?

* * *

**AN:**

**Jacob: "But...but... I thought Leah would shift in this chapter...*pouts*. And kiss me... *pouts more* I wanted her to kiss me *stomps his foot*"**

**Me: "I know, I know: I'm sorry, but the chapter was so long already. She'll shift in the next one. Promise!"**

**Jacob: "And I didn't get to eat the ice-cream either or lick it off Leah's fingers ...*sniffles* I wanted to cover myself in chocolate syrup. *Gets a fantastic idea* "I know! I'll take the ice-cream and syrup with me and go and visit my reviewers. They'll let me lick it off their fingers. *Puts on his chapstick and takes a breath mint* *Looks at **_**you**_**, yes YOU!* Are you ready for some dessert? Because I'm on my way!"**

***Claws at your door while whining to be let in***


	13. Chapter 13

**HEARTBEATS**

During patrol Jacob's busying himself planning for the upcoming study date. He's certain his plans are foolproof, but it won't hurt to get his friends opinions. Not that his friends have much experience either. Sure Embry had that one girlfriend, Hannah, years ago but that only lasted over the summer and she had dumped him once school had started and all Embry ever did with her was write her love letters, hold hands and share some very innocent kisses.

None the less his friends opinions might be good, because they are his friends and three great minds put together for sure could result in awesome ideas. Embry was really intelligent and sensitive so his perspective was always good, and Quil...err... Quil's opinions would then be the things Jacob would know to avoid.

"_I think that sounds like a great plan!"_ Quil congratulates Jacob as he tells about the chapstick, breath mints and the ice-cream. Quil especially thinks the chocolate syrup is awesome. A little too awesome maybe, especially since Quil can't conceal his hopes of getting a replay of magical moments of Leah drenched in the syrup. As if Jacob would ever share that with _anyone_ would it happen. What he does with his Leah is private!

"_Like you could hide it!"_ Quil snorts happily, continuing thinking about how awesome it is that his own fur is chocolate colored, because it must mean chicks find him extra cuddly and want to lick his fur. He would be the perfect Valentine's gift for a girl. He wouldn't even have to buy the chocolate, because he would be the chocolate, and that would save him lots of money too.

"_I don't think girls want to lick you when you're in your fur!" _Jacob answers, imagining a girl spitting up hairballs like a cat.

"_They do too! Girl's kiss and cuddle with their teddybears all the time, and my Granny says I look very cuddly and cute as a wolf, just like a teddy, and any girl should count herself lucky to have me! Besides I like kittens, maybe I can find a cat-shapeshifter who loves licking my fur clean? And girls won't spit up hairballs when they lick me where it counts...Do you want to know why?!" _Quil guffaws triumphantly._ "I've shaved my balls! In all the porn flicks I've seen the guys have shaved balls. Chicks dig that and it makes everything look bigger too! Now my Gigantor looks almost as big as your junk Jake!" _

Why the hell had Quil been sizing up his dick?

"_I like to compare! It's fun. Yours the biggest and thickest Jake, of us all, yours like huge, but I'm not jealous... I'm not...I swear I'm not...because mine is bigger than Jared's, and even if Embry's much longer than mine, mine is thicker than his. And I think mine got a lot of personality, like it's a little bent to the left. Gigantor is special and a lot of girls like special. My Granny always says that girls are gonna fall for my personality, and just like me, Gigantor got personality so girls are gonna fall for him too..."_

Oh god! Jacob did not want to hear about this! Quil needed to shut up. Now!

"_Please stop Quil!" _But Quil won't shut up when he's talking about his favorite subject, not even when he feels Embry's embarrassment about the subject burn through the mindlink.

"_Paul shaves his balls and he's slept with more girls than anyone, even more than my Grandpa. And my Grandpa was a real player when he was younger, he's told me about that and all the girls he used to date when Granny doesn't hear. Grandpa has dated almost all the ladies on the rez and in Forks too. Anyway Paul knows everything about girls and fucking and he has promised to teach me to be a stud just like him! Girls are going to _beg _me to fuck them. It's a very good investment to spend my allowance on Paul's lessons, both of you should do it too! I sold half my porn-collection to some guys in seventh grade, you know Brady and Collin, and for that money Paul's gonna take me to a strip-club and introduce me to a girl he knows who works there! He could introduce you too Embry if you pay him!"_

Jacob groans at Quil giving his money to Paul like that, especially since Quil could've drawn everything Paul knows out of him through his mind while on patrol, making him save his allowance for something more useful. Jacob's groan is also caused by Quil once again having the worst person ever as an idol. Maybe Paul was a little better than Mike Newton, but Paul was still a jackass, no matter how experienced, and now he was milking Quil for money and probably giving him horrible advice. Besides Paul had never had a steady girlfriend, and Jacob didn't want the kind of experience Paul had. All the experiences Jacob wanted, he wanted to be with Leah, not random girls, no matter how hot or freaky they were in bed.

But one thing about what Quil ranted about gets stuck in his head, it's the girls liking shaved balls-part. He hasn't thought about that... Man, he remembers that all the porns he watched when younger the men were shaved. He wants to look perfect for Leah, wants Champion and the boys look stunning together when he finally gets lucky enough to introduce them to her. He wants her to fall in love with them too. Maybe Leah will find hairy balls disgusting? He'll have to shave as soon as he gets home from patrol, shuddering at the thought of bringing a razor close to his most prized possessions.

"_Don't worry Jake. You'll get the hang of it, but it took me a long time and first I got a bad rash and red blotches."_

Jacob eyes widen a little at the horror of the thought of getting a rash on his precious family jewels. That would be horrible and surely Leah wouldn't find that attractive. Jacob wants Leah to love his boys just as much as he loves them himself, that's why they have to look their best, be prepared if Leah suddenly will want to meet them; always have them scrubbed clean, smelling real good and fresh, clean shaved but without any horrifying mood-dampening rash.

"_Do you know how Paul does it? He has the girls he fucks doing it for him! When you get with Leah she can shave your balls!"_ Quil adds enthusiastically and Jacob feels almost as embarrassed as Embry moments earlier. He couldn't ask Leah to help him whit that, could he? Even once they were together for real, when she was his girlfriend... Still, it seemed a little embarrassing, but then again, he would love shaving Leah's legs and.._. oh god, yes... her pussy... _If she wants him to do that! Not that she'll need to.

"_Oh yes! That would be so hot!" _Quil mentally shouts adding excited barks, as he sprints around wagging his tail in excitement, throwing himself in front of Jacob in a begging position. _"Please, please, please! You have to phase immediately after you done that and show me!"_

Jacob will do no such thing. Ever! Quil's such a moron sometimes!

Jacob desperately feels he needs to learn to keep his thoughts to himself. He grits his teeth knowing that it will be insanely difficult to keep his dreams and memories hidden especially concerning special moments between him and Leah, if..._when_... they will happen. He has to practice on keeping his mind blocked, so he can shelter Leah from the curious, dirty and intrusive minds of his brothers in order to show her the respect she deserves. She's not to be shared like that. And the beautiful things they might do together are holy, sacred.

"_We could help you." _Embry offers kindly.

"_What?! No, no, no! NO! Jake, you don't have to learn how to block your mind. I want to see! " _Quil whimpers horrified by the thought of missing out on some hot action. _"The mind-links the best thing ever happen to me. Pleease Jake, I want to see what you do with Leah! Please, just for me, show it just for me!"_

What the fuck's wrong with Quil?! Why the fuck would Jacob want to share what he and Leah will – hopefully – do in the bedroom. And on the kitchen table... and on the couch... and against the wall in the hallway... and in the shower... and in the garage... and on the living-room floor... and in Harry's canoe when they go fishing... on the beach... in the water... on the cliffs... in a changing room at the mall... in the sauna at the health club... in a tent when they go camping... in the forest... in his car... on the roof of his house... in his old tree-house... up at the Space-needle... in an elevator... in the caves in the forest... in a jacuzzi... and all the other million places Jacob has thought of honoring with his and Leah's naked bodies.

What Jacob can't stop however is how Quil's wish, and his list of places he would like to christen with Leah, provokes the fantasies he has tried and managed to suppress until then to surface.

Images of his latest daydream fill all three minds.

_'Mmmh Jake, the ice-cream is really good...' Leah purrs, her eyes hooded, licking her lips seductively. _

_'Oh, we ate it all... I wanted more...' She's pouting in the sexiest of ways. 'Oh Jake, you have a little chocolate on your chest. I want the chocolate. Please Jake, I NEED it...Let me lick it off...' she begs and then her hot tongue slowly swirls against his skin over his racing heart. Lapping like a kitten, before she hungrily starts to suck and kiss his skin. _

_'Mhh Jake, you taste even better than the ice-cream' she moans._

_'Jake, it's so hot in here' Leah pants after running her tongue all over his pectoral muscles, up his neck, before ending her roaming by teasingly licking his ear. _

_She's swaying her hips as she stands up to take off her T-shirt, wanting Jacob to look at her perfectly round ass._

_'Could you help me take off my shirt? My fingers are sticky from the ice-cream' she begs starting to lick and suck her own fingers clean, watching Jacob over her shoulder, like the temptress she is._

_'Let me' his voice is husky as he's moving to stand behind her, pressing his cheek against hers and then taking hold of one of her hands and bringing it to his mouth slowly cleaning each of her finger off. His other hand is running lightly_ _under the hem of __her t-shirt, over the soft skin of her flat stomach, savoring the wonderfully smooth texture as she leans backwards into the touch, pressing her shoulders against his chest and slowly grinding her wonderful ass against __his crotch, making him harden even more._

_He's releasing her hand starts leaning down over her shoulder and Leah's tilting her head upwards to meet his hungry lips with a deep, passionate kiss. His hands are cupping her_ _voluptuous __breasts, perfect and wonderfully plump under his palms. Not getting enough of touching, massaging, palming Leah's perfectly round and ripe tits. _

_Now he's trailing kisses down her neck, nipping and then laving with his tongue to sooth where his teeth leave marks on her caramel skin. Thumbs hooking under the top of her bra, flipping over her perked nipples, circling, tracing, pinching. Leah moaning in his ear as she arches back under his touch, 'Please...Ohh... Yes... that feels so good...' desperation and lust lacing her throaty moans as she bites his earlobe, her ass moving in a tantalizing pace against his throbbing length, making him thrust against her, biting her collarbone to muffle his groans. Finally ripping off her t-shirt, giving her a hard deep kiss before lifting her hair to the side, baring the back of her neck to trail kisses downwards. He's bringing his mouth to the difficult obstacle he has to heroically overcome before the two beautiful maidens kept prison in that offensive cloth, well it's really a very sexy red lace bra – very similar to the one Jared has been fantasizing about - but it's keeping the wonderful treasures prisoned and they need to be freed. 'Don't worry beautiful boobs, Jacob Black, the brave warrior, is here to save you!' he tells the prisoned Beauts and like an expert he finds the tricky hooks, surely designed by an evil nun, and unclasps the bra with his teeth like a true storybook hero... _

At this point making a mental note to himself to practice unhooking bras with his teeth. Hopefully his sister have left some of their bras in their dresser so he can practice more. Before they left he had managed to learn the one-handed unclasping with one of the bras he "borrowed" from them and put on Rachel's large teddy bear he had won for her at a county fair, but he hasn't thought about practicing doing it with teeth. Surely Leah would be impressed if he knew how to do that? Jacob's too deep in his fantasy to wonder why he at the same time makes mental notes to steal his Granny's bra to practice on, or wondering if he'll ever will get a girl because surely he can't practice on his mother's bras - that's just not right and will girls laugh when he doesn't know how to unhook a bra? - Jacob not realizing these thoughts stem from Quil and Embry respectively, or that they run through his mind too.

_Finally freed, the boobs are HIS, the brave warrior's, their liberators, to have and to hold, for ever and ever and ever. He's turning Leah around pulling her with him as they fall onto his bed. He's attacking the tits ferociously with his mouth like the animal he is in an act of hungry desperation and crazed worship making Leah mewl: 'Please, I want you now... Please Jake/Quil/Embry, _all three boys crying out their own names in their minds.

_WHAT THE FUCK?! _

Embry's mind goes blank from horror at being caught intruding Jake's mind like this and enjoying it far to much, but Quil keeps on imagining Leah moaning his name as he continues humping against a tree in total oblivion.

"_Quil! Quil! You're the best. Quil, please, my tits are yours! I'm gonna tell all my friends how great you're at sucking my tits. I'm gonna bring all my friends arrange a boob-contest and you can be the judge and suck all our tits.."_

"_SHUT THE FUCK UP! Get the fuck out of my mind you sick perv! Get your own girl to think of and your own fantasies and don't jump mine! And what the fuck are you doing... humping a tree?"_ Jacob snarls, horrified and furious they all have been completely lost in his fantasy, dreaming like one mind about _his_ girl. Leah is _his, _only he can do that to her! Only he is to think of her like that. Only his name on her lips! _Jake! Jake! JAKE!_ That's all she should ever moan.

"_Oh man, I'm so horny now." _Quil groans glancing back longingly at the tree, debating humping against it a little bit more.

"_So when do you plan to do to feel her up? __Could you please, please, please do it before next patrol so I can see Lee naked soon?! My birthday's in a month, and I think that would be a great birthday present! Can I phase out? Please... I really need to whack off..." _Quil pleads chuckling like the imbecile he sometimes is, but that laughter is cut short when Jacob easily pins him down with his jaws locked on Quil's neck, quite painfully and with such feral aggressiveness none of his friends have ever witnessed coming from Jacob before.

"_I give! I give! Sorry man. Just a joke!"_ Quil hurries out a little shocked and quite shook-up by the ferocious hostility rolling off his friend.

Jacob releases with a final warning growl._ "Never think of Leah like that ever again!"_

"_Touchy" _Quil thinks to himself, but due to the mind-link they all share the thought.

Damn right Jacob's touchy when Leah's concerned. Not only because of how he feels about her, but because she's amazing. She's a Goddess who deserves to be worshiped, paid reverence to and be respected. By everyone! She's not a slut to be shared by them all, even if just in their minds, and definitely not an image for Quil to jerk off to, or worse, hump a tree to.

"_You probably hump trees too when you patrol alone."_ Quil indignantly thinks, very offended at the accusation. So what if he humped a tree? It felt good! _"You're whacking off as much as me or more. Man, not even Sam or Jared are__ like this. They don't go crazy when we see them fantasizing about Kim and Emily or remembering what they've been doing with them. They share! And Paul shares too. Paul says it's important to always remember your priorities. Bros before hos! Leah's much sexier than Kim and Emily combined and hotter even than the girls Paul's been with and I bet she'll be real freaky and not like Emily who just lies there only wanting to do it in the missionary position with rose petals and candles and shit. So sorry for getting turned on..."_Quil mutters.

Jacob is so pissed off at his idiot for a friend he can't even form thoughts or any other sounds than hostile growls, luckily Embry intervenes. He hates all kinds of disagreements and fighting, especially between his two best friends.

"_Quil, you're out of line."_ Embry says softly. _"You wouldn't like if we started fantasizing about having sex with your grandmother for instance and didn't stop when you asked us to."_

Immediately Quil's hackles rise.

"_No one things dirty things about my Granny!"_ Quil snarls baring his teeth at Embry. Oh yeah, he's a grandma's boy like that. Jacob recognizes how smart Embry is, because maybe this is the only way to get Quil understand. Quil loves his grandmother like crazy, worships her even, she's sacred to him, in a similar way Leah is to Jacob.

"_I wouldn't like if someone thought about my mom like that either, and Jacob hates when someone thinks of his sisters and about Leah like that. You want to protect your Grandmother because you love her. Maybe someday you feel as much you feel about your grandmother about a girl, then you wouldn't like to have others think of her like that. What do you think your grandfather would say if he caught other men thinking of your Granny like you....we were thinking of Leah? That's right, he would react like Jake."_

Quil's silent for a long time, pondering. "_I... I thought... I mean... I'm sorry, I didn't know ... I mean girls... Like girls have boobs and asses and are hot and I want to touch! Girls are... like.. I mean... shit.. I didn't think girls are like...like that...like that they can be special like my Granny is to me and Grandpa... I'm sorry Jake..." _Quil sounds incredibly regretful.

Maybe that's the problem with Quil? He doesn't really know any girls, never really talked to a girl other than said his horrible pick-up lines, and somehow views them as a quite different species, often simply as objects for pleasure, dividing in them in the 'hot' and the 'not-hot'. Quil had gone from thinking of girls as horrible cootie-giving creatures to viewing them as body-parts, like boobs and asses forgetting they were human. Maybe it's all the porn that has whacked up his head to think of girls like that? Sometimes Jacob is really grateful he has two older sisters.

"_Oh man... girls can be like my Granny... Damn, that's weird to think of."_ Quil's thoughts have never been this confused. It's like he has had a life-changing revelations, and not knowing what to do with them._ "Hey, wonder if I can meet a special girl like my Granny? I really want a special girl too. Like one that likes the same things I do, like eating Cheerios and watching cartoons on Sunday mornings in my PJ's? I could have a special girl and then have lots of girls and fuck with them. I wonder if the girl Paul's gonna introduce me to can be my special-girl?" _

Both Embry and Jacob struggle from keeping rolling their eyes mentally. Sometimes Quil is just too much... and it's better to ignore him.

Embry's been oddly silent except for the interventions earlier. Sure he's always the quiet one, but now he's quieter than ever, only slipping in their joint fantasy, but somehow he seems incredibly sad. Is it, is it because he too likes Leah? Jacob barely forms that thought, before he forcefully pushes it away._ Leah is his! His, his, his. _

Or has he had another fight with his mom and Quil thinking about his grandmother making it worse, because Quil's grandmother is allowed to know what Embry's mother isn't?

Sure enough, when Jacob thinks that Embry's mind slips and they all see images of Ms Call crying and asking Embry to tell her where he is off to, why he has been skipping school, and why he keeps staying out long after curfew, begging him to talk to her. "_Whatever it is Embry you can tell me. Please Embry, I don't understand... You used to tell me everything. Please talk to me. Why do you keep pushing me away? You're still my baby boy." _Ms Call sobs in Embry's memory the image filling their mind-link and they all are hit with heavy guilt, pain and sadness coming from Embry.

The anger Jacob feels seeing these memories trickles down to them all, and soon all three growl loudly at Sam's stupidness for ordering Embry not to tell his mom, only because she according to Sam is an outsider, not a Quileute by blood. It's ridiculous, everyone else's parents are in the know. He doesn't get why his dad or Harry haven't stepped up for Embry on this matter. Jacob swears he'll talk to his dad as soon as he gets home, because someone needs to stand up for Embry aganst the counci when they make idiotic decisions.

"_You could head home if you want to." _Jacob thinks. "_Go on, I'll howl if there's anything." _Jacob is doing it both to be nice but also so he can be alone with his thoughts of Leah and the upcoming tutoring session.

"_I don't think we really should..." _Embry starts to protest but Quil is already running home. He's eager to watch another episode of Spongebob Squarepants.

"_Go on Embry. Spend the afternoon with you mom." _Jacob thinks and after some deliberation Embry too heads home.

That's the reason why Jacob is alone when he catches a whiff of the read-headed leech. Shit! She's over the border, on their land. The stench is heavy, stinging his nose, making him choke, all of this telling him how fresh the trail is. He acts on instinct. Only instinct. Howls a summoning, then pushing himself fast, faster than ever after the scent, hot on the trail.

Soon enough the other wolves are shifted too, but far behind, too far to have a chance to reach her, but ready to keep her from nearing any settlements on the rez, reaching any of their people. They got all the people protected.

_Good! She's safe, his female is safe! His father, his people. Safe!_

Only Sam is moderately close to be able to help Jake in catching her since he's been securing his boat near the private harbor on First Beach due to the storm.

"_She's heading towards the cliffs!" _Jacob barks through the mind-link as he flies through the forest in a blur, maybe even faster than the wind howling and shaking the trees. He can already see her red hair flaming like fire further ahead, making him push faster.

_Catch...kill... catch and kill....Protect... Threat!_ .._. Rip... Tear... Leech..._ Feral thoughts roll heavy in the packs joint minds as they chase, barking and growling.

The leech must've sensed the russet wolf approaching, closing in on her, since she makes a sharp turn, changing her path from the cliffs where she seemed to be headed to.

"_I'll drive her towards you Sam!" _Jacob thinks making an even sharper turn than the leech, hopefully making her think she's got a free passage to the beach, where Sam will be coming from. Trapping her. The russet wolf and the black could take her together, circle her. _Take her down, tear, rip, kill..._

That's when he's hit with a familiar scent carried by the storm wind from coming from the sea. Bella's. It's fresh. _What the fuck?_ The thought is reverberating through the mind of his pack.

The scent comes from the cliffs. Fucking hell.

He doesn't even think about his decision but makes it in the same instant he smelled her. It's what his gut tells him is right.

"_I'll check the scent!"_

Nothing on the cliffs. Nothing, but her scent is there. Fresh, she's just been here moments before. It doesn't take genius to figure out why Bella's scent suddenly stops at the cliff-side. She jumped. _Damn! _ By the looks of the weather and the spot it's suicide. No sane person with zero experience in cliff-diving and with no super-human capacities or being a serious adrenaline-junkie would ever even think of jumping from here in a fuckin' storm. _Goddammit! __  
_

"_Sam, don't try to take the leech on your own, drive her back towards the pack!"_

Jacob's already scanning the water's below readying for the jump, when his mind suddenly fills with new voices, images and... his heart stops, staggers, then beats a hollow hard rhythm...

Two new voices... two new wolf-voices in their minds...

Images of a familiar back-yard comes into their mind, Clearwater's. Harry. _Oh god! _

Harry's lying on the ground clutching his chest while Sue is pushing him to lie in the recovery position on the wet ground after checking Harry's still breathing on his own. Emily's whimpering and crying next to Sue staring wide eyed at the two wolves, one who tries to approach Harry whining in misery, the other shivering stock-still from fright.

"Emily, call the ambulance!" Sue yells several times over the howling wind, the wolf near Harry growling and barking at Emily trying to get her to move, before Emily finally runs inside for the phone.

"Harry, why didn't you tell me about these legends? You knew, you knew they were true. You're gonna survive this and when I'm going to kick your behind so bad and you'll be sleeping on the couch for keeping this from me." Sue yells through the window these two new wolves eyes provide.

_Seth... and Leah. Leah? Leah! Leah, Leah, Leah. His Leah. His female. His Leah. Leah, Leah, Leah._

Sue's surprisingly calm and collected. "Leah, Seth, you need to become human again. I don't know how the hell you're supposed to do that, but the ambulance is coming and I can't have two wolves in the back-yard even if they're my kids."

"_It's my fault, it's my fucking fault...."_ Leah's voice fills the mindlink.

"_I want to wake up! Leah, make the nightmare go away! Leah! What's wrong with me? Mommy! Daddy!"_ Seth whimpers.

Jacob's already turning around to run to them, the wolf in him agitated, almost panicky. His female is in distress, his female needs him. Sam's on the beach he'll reach Bella from there almost as fast as Jake could've jumping from the cliff. Jacob needs to get to Leah, and to help Harry and Sue and Seth. To get to Leah... _Leah...Leah....Leah...His female, his mate. His...his...his.. She needs him.  
_

Underneath the worry the russet wolf is strangely excited. _Mate! His mate!_ This is what he has been waiting for, what he has been feeling, sensing. He has known this was about to happen. He knew, he knew this, he just didn't understand. The wolf sensed it, but Jacob didn't understand what it was the wolf knew.

"_Hang in there Lee. I'm coming. It's gonna be alright. Run into the woods, you too Seth, I'll come for you!"_

"_Jake?"_

"_Jake?! JAKE! Leah, I can hear Jake in my mind just like I can hear you. Jake, where are you?"_

Seth barks trying to look for Jacob but coming up with nothing, leaving him even more confused, but his thoughts no matter how confused aren't as jumbled up as Leah's, although she seems to have a better idea of what's going on._  
_

"_Dad, I need to help dad. It's so messed up. Shapeshifters... Fuck it's true, the legends. Is that... Is that what you've been doing Jake? The Protectors-club thing? How the hell can I hear you? Fuck, there are other voices too. There's too many voices... I can't think, I need to think. Calm down Leah, I can calm down. I have to make myself calm... Think Leah, think... We're wolves... Oh god, it's my fuckin' fault dad's having a heart attack. I got so mad at Emily being too scared of the storm to help with taking in the sheets __and the laundry before they all blew away in the storm, making dad have to come and help me and Seth when he should've been resting, and there was this horrible bleach smell coming with the wind and then I was shaking and it felt horrible like everything popped out of place and it hurt like hell and dad kept staring at me saying that 'I should've known, I should've seen the signs in her'. Dad, dad, daddy. Wake up daddy! Please..."_

"_Lee. Please, trust me. You need to get to the trees before you're seen. It'll be alright. I'm coming to help you. Baby, please, trust me. I'll help you." _Jacob pleads.

"_Jacob! Get Bella, now! "_ It's an alpha-command cutting through sharply and Jacob turns mid-stride snarling in frustration, but it feels like something tears and snaps at the steel-cables of the command as he does it. Before he jumps to the icy depths he hears Sam give an alpha-command to Leah and Seth to run in the woods and stay put. A fucking idiotic thing to do to torture their already frantic and confused minds with the weight of that command, especially since they don't understand it yet, don't understand anything yet, and don't know from where it comes, from who it comes, only feeling the terrifying force of having someone else bend their minds to act against their own wills.

Jacob spots Bella almost immediately as he hits the water, dragging her up, seeing the red-head swimming further away towards James island, their holy burial lands. Fucking leech tainting their burial site. Jacob make sure she'll pay for that, but most of all he'll make sure she'll pay for making his Leah phase, although the wolf couldn't be happier that she finally has taken the right form. Finally!

_His! His mate!_

_

* * *

_**AN:**

**Jacob: "But I didn't want to save Bella, I wanted to go to Leah! *pouts* And I don't like cold water either and Champion hates cold water! But you know what would make me and Champion happy again?! If you review! Then you could be my mate for the week, or at least until I get to see Leah."  
**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'LL BE THERE**

He's trying to coax Bella to change into dry clothes, but she refuses to let him leave the living-room, if only for a moment, as he tries to give her privacy, clinging on to his arms, refusing to let go – who knew her grip could be that strong? - and when he sighs and gives up but is still turning his head to look away to show her the kind of respect a girl is to be given when undressing, she pretends to be too cold to take off her clothes on her own.

Jacob's not going to help her change clothes, so instead he gives her the warm quilt. For some reason this makes her start sobbing and whimpering again about how nobody cares about her, and now she'll probably catch a cold and maybe even pneumonia and die, and it would probably be for the best because everybody wants to get rid of her anyway.

"Your dad loves you more than anything Bella, he wouldn't survive if something happened to you. There's a lot of people who care about you. _A lot._ I care about you, my dad, your friends at school. We all care." He tries to protest.

"But-but you rather spend time with Leah than me." She sniffles. "And you're so disgusted with my body that you don't even want to help me put on something dry."

What's he supposed to say to that?

"You're my friend Bella." He tells her softly. "And suicide isn't the answer."

"SUICIDE?!" She shrieks. "I wasn't trying to kill myself, I was cliff-diving! It was an accident. If you were my friend you wouldn't accuse me of something so horrible!" Now she's pounding her fists against his chest, and Jacob has to take hold of her arms so she won't hurt herself.

"If you would've been a real friend you would've spent time with me and not abandoned me. I only went cliff-diving because you don't want to hang out with me anymore. How was I to know it wasn't safe? If you had been with me I wouldn't have gotten hurt!"

He's gritting his teeth against the thinly veiled accusations coming from her mouth. He's not going to let her guilt-trip him into thinking that he had a share in her almost drowning, in her almost killing herself.

"LET GO OF ME! LET GO OF ME!" She yells in hysterics, foaming around the mouth like a rabid dog.

He tries to shush her, soothe her, get her to calm down and after a long while she collapses into a heap against him, and he lays her down her on the couch.

Jacob knows that his dad has talked to Charlie about him needing to get professional help for Bella, but Charlie had immediately dropped his insistence that Bella should see a psychologist when she had began crying about Charlie not loving her anymore and wanting to get rid of her just like her mom, and then threatened to move back to her mom in Arizona. But no one thought it would go this far, that she would try to kill herself, no matter how she now claims she was only cliff-diving, that she only went cliff-diving because Jacob wasn't spending enough time with her, like her idiotic decisions could be blamed on him.

"Bella. We're always responsible for our own actions. No matter what someone else does or doesn't do, we always choose what we'll do." Jacob tells her softly but firmly, kneeling by her side, stroking her hair, repeating a wisdom he once has learned from his father. Words that have helped him in his life. Maybe they could help her too?

"Sometimes we make bad choices, but we can't blame those on others. There are people who want to help you Bella, but you have to want to help yourself too."

"You don't understand anything." Bella's sobs and curls up in fetal position.

He sighs, frustrated, again glancing over his shoulder out the window.

Maybe he doesn't understand what she is going through, but he does understand some things, like that he's in the wrong place with the wrong girl when the one he loves goes through the worst times of her life. _Fuck!_ He should be holding Leah in his arms and here he is stuck with Bella.

_Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_

Both girls need him. One is his friend and the other is... the other... Leah is the love of his life. Leah's strong and Bella's not, she tried to kill herself, but he _loves _Leah. He needs to be out there with her, help her. He can't stay here.

The loud howling and the growls coming from deep within the forest, growls that only can be heard to someone with supernatural hearing, intensify and he can clearly distinguish a female's agitated snarls, _his mate's, his Leah's_.

The wolf inside of him is panicky and desperate when he recognizes the anguish in the sounds coming from the female wolf, and even more so from hearing a male wolf's - Sam's - aggressive growls. Jacob needs to get out there _NOW._

There's no way the wolf can stay when his mate is in distress, maybe even being hurt by a rival male. The wolf can't follow orders that contradict his nature, his entire being, the core of his spirit, since that core is _her – Leah Clearwater_. She needs him. He needs to be there for her.

Jacob has barely enough self-control left to dial the number to Embry before he leaves, because no matter what he still needs to help Bella too, make sure she's alright. She can't be left alone in her fragile state of mind and Charlie is still at the hospital. Embry is calm and sensitive but also sensible and surprisingly firm when needed, he's the right person to be on suicide watch for Bella until Charlie arrives to pick her up and that way Jacob can be where he must. With Leah, helping Leah.

Despite his desperate need to be with Leah right this very minute, he does one more thing for the broken and battered Bella, one more act of kindness. He calls Emily, who's been left at the Clearwater's when Sue went with Harry in the ambulance.

Bella has for some reason bonded with Emily and maybe she can be of help too, but he's sadly mistaken.

" Bella needs _you _Jake. Stay with her. Sam is helping Leah and Seth." Emily says with an air like she is some sort of an authority figure.

"Leah needs me more! You're Bella's friend, please come over." Jake's voice is firm but Emily won't budge, sounding even more arrogant if possible.

"Jacob, you've been making my Sam really upset lately. He told me that you constantly try to undermine his orders and have been acting like a baby throwing tantrums. And I've heard of your lack of self-control too. Sam hasn't said that much, but he's been very stressed out lately, crying out Leah's name in his sleep. I'm sure he's dreaming of what could happen to Leah if you lost self-control around her. And she's not your imprint, so I can't really see how she would _need_ _you,_ what can you do for her that my Sam can't? Besides there's a storm raging outside and I'm not going out in that weather. It could be dangerous for me. I'm telling you Jacob that your place is to stay at home with Bella like Sam ordered you. He's the Alpha and the future chief of this tribe, he knows what he's doing."

His father has taught him to never swear at a woman so he slams down the phone before he curses her profusely.

_Sam, the future chief... _No way would that ever happen! Who the hell would vote on Sam to be their chief! And even worse, how can Emily claim that Jacob has no business helping Leah? _Fuck Emily and fuck Sam!_

The moment Embry gets there Jacob runs, shifting midair, not even bothering stripping off his clothes as they shatter around him, ignoring Bella's cries after him.

It's a mess, all the thoughts he's met by. Seth's are easy to find, although all jumbled up in a whirl of confusion and fright. Whimpering and howling for help, for someone anyone to help them, his mom, his dad, Leah, and Jacob's names spinning in Seth's frightened mind.

"_Mommy! I want my mommy!"_

"_Who is that evil black monster? Is it the killer-boar? He's hairy and scary and mean. Is he going __to kill me and Leah? Go away evil monster or my mommy's gonna come and whoop your butt! HELP! HELP! I want to wake up! MOMMY! DADDY! JAKE! HELP! LEAH! "_

"_Go away evil monster. I don't like you!"_

"_Am I in hell? I don't like it in hell. I promise never to think bad thoughts anymore, please God I promise to be good and never touch myself at night or have naughty thoughts ever again. I won't curse ever again either. I only said 'fuck' yesterday so Jacob would think I was cool. Please God, please. I promise I'll be a good boy from now on. I don't want to roast in hell and have the hell-hound kill me and Lee."_

"_I want to go home!"_ Seth howls, whimpers and cries.

Her thoughts are confused too, but a bit calmer and a lot more rational than Seth's, but still filled with a range of conflicting emotions, the need and want to comfort her scared little brother, distress and confusion over what is happening, pain and guilt that she's not with her father and mother, rage at having Sam trying to order her, at Sam being all up in her face.

"_I'm a fucking wolf. The legends are true. A shapeshifter...." _she thinks. "_Seth calm down. It's gonna be alright once we figure this out, but I need time to think. Sam go away. I need time to think. GO AWAY! You're scaring Seth." _

But Sam's not going to go away. "_I'm here to help you Lee-Lee! Trust me and it'll be fine." _

"_Like I would ever trust you again! I don't want your fucking help. Get lost! And my names not Lee-Lee."_

Sam gets angrier and angrier by the second. _"Listen to me Lee-Lee and I'll explain everything. I'm the Alpha, that means I'm the one in command and you're in my pack now. So just listen to me and I'll take care of you."_

"_Why should I listen to you? Fuck you, I can take care of myself just fine. Get away from me!" _she snarls.

"_It's a bad dream, it's a bad dream, it' a bad dream. I'll wake if I pinch myself." _Seth thinks. "_I don't have fingers to pinch myself with! Aaargh, my hands are hairy! Is it because I touched myself in a naughty way that my hands have become hairy? Why can't I wake up? I want to wake up!" _

"_I will never listen to your commands so you can just shove it and leave me the fuck alone!" _Leah growls at Sam. _"Where's Jake? He'll help us. He said he was coming to help me and Seth. We're waiting for him. Jake always keeps his word, unlike some other people I know. We're waiting for him so you just go away." _At her direct refusal to follow orders, or is it from throwing Jacob's name in the mix, whatever it is, Sam loses it.

"_You will listen to ME! I'M THE ALPHA! You'll do as _I _tell you! "_

Jacob can feel how Sam pounces at Leah in his tries to control a subordinate who is defying him, a subordinate that Sam wants to make submit in more ways than one, a subordinate who's hostile and has already has managed to bite Sam several times.

"_Let go of me you fuckin' asshole!" _She growls as she bites back. For being completely new at this she's holding her ground pretty good, but Sam's hurting her, and that makes Jacob run even faster. He's gonna make Sam pay for hurting Leah.

Sam's thoughts get confusing but Jacob can pour the feelings of rage, pain – she's managed to claw at him quite painfully over his snout – and _lust_. _Goddammit!_

All thoughts leave Jacob's mind, and all he is, is the running of his paws, thundering against the ground, massive body pushing through the trees, all he knows is the need to reach her, help her. Faster, he needs to go faster. Now, he needs to be there now.

"_The faster you'll surrender Lee-Lee the faster we all can go home. I'm sure you want to go and see your father at the hospital." _

That's a fuckin' low blow, even for Sam as Leah gets even more distressed. "_Oh God. Dad! I need to get to dad! Now. And mom. Mom, she needs me too! Get out of my way Sam!"_

"_You'll go nowhere until you surrender. You are a part of this pack and I'm your leader. Give up! Say you're MINE... MINE!"  
_

Roaring Jacob barrels closer at full speed, rage coursing in his veins. He won't let anyone try to take her away from him.

"_It's a dream, and that means I can do anything." _Seth thinks to himself and that gives him the courage to stealthily crawl up behind the black wolf who now has his jaws locked around Leah's neck, slamming her head down against the hard ground. She's still struggling, trying to claw at him, trying to bite, her jaws snapping in thin air, but her minds getting dizzier by his tight grip around her neck, by his pounding of her head against the ground_. _

"_Ugly monster, get off Leah." _Seth snarls as he sinks his teeth in Sam's tail biting hard, making Sam howl in agony.

Sam releases his teeth from Leah's neck to slam Seth with his large paw, sending the little puppy flying into a tree, and that's when Jacob barges in to the clearing.

"_Oooouuch. That hurts... Lee, the ugly monster hurt me. I want my mommy! MOMMY! I want to go home!"_ The little puppy cries.

Sam, only now sensing Jacob's presence, since he's mind had been so occupied with having Leah submit, steps over Leah like a victor over his pray. But she hasn't yielded to him... yet.... and she never will if the russet wolf has his say. Which he intends to have, even if it kills him in the process.

"_What the fuck are you doing here Jacob? You were to stay with Bella. It was an Alpha -command!" _Sam growls, and as an afterthought surely not meant for Jacob to hear, "_How the fuck could he break it?"_

Jacob doesn't answer.

His eyes land on a slender silvery gray female lying on the ground, completely ignoring the black wolf standing over her pressing one of his paws forcefully, much too forcefully, over her chest.

She's the most heavenly creature the russet wolf has _ever _seen in his life. Was he human he would be speechless, but as a wolf all he can do is stare. Stare at this... this... this she-wolf. This...this... this _MATE_. _His mate. Mate for him._

Where has she come from? Who has sent this wonder to him? What spirits will he thank? Has she come from the great sea that he has stared at so many times wondering what is on the end of it, or from the depths of the well where he sometimes catches the reflection of a great warrior with russet fur but when he tries to put his nose and smell him, the warrior disappears in a blur of rippling water? Is she sent to him by her father the Sun and her mother the Moon to shine on him and guide him in darkness and warm him during the day? Has she grown out of the earth like the grass that sings to him, like the wind that lulls him to sleep at night, like the trees that give him shelter and shadow? Has K'wa'iti – the Creator - seen how the female his heart already had chosen needed to take this form to forever be with him, making her change too, like he once made the first Quileute by changing a wolf. Who has sent her to him? Is it the spirits he hears whispering to him, the voices of those before him, has they granted him this heavenly gift? He had not known such perfection could exist, such a creature anywhere in this world, such beauty.

In her skin she's gorgeous, but in her fur words can't describe how incredible she is to the wolf. It's not like the wolf needs words anyway, all he does is is have to feel her, be with her, have her by his side for all eternity.

This is her. His mate.

Slowly, carefully he approaches her, ignoring the other male. All is her. She is all.

For the wolf it's a dream come true and all human sapience, human thought and human sentiences leaves him completely looking at her. Her scent is even stronger now when she too is a wolf. He can taste her in the air, rich and full of promises. Looking at her, smelling her is pure bliss.

The black wolf is snarling aggressively, lips curled back, revealing sharp teeth, but the russet doesn't care, gently pressing his nose against hers, whining lowly to her. Only to her.

That's when the black wolf snaps his jaws at him, and only now the russet wolf acknowledges him. The russet wolf has smelled blood, her blood. The motherfucker has made his mate bleed!

The roaring is such never heard in these forests since the days of the first spirit warriors, making the woods fall silent, the howling of the wind quieten, all movements stilling, and making the black wolves ears flatten against it's head, making him recoil and instinctivly try to make his form smaller. Fear, the russet wolf can smell is fear.

The black wolf must leave his female alone or he'll drive him off these lands forever or worse – kills him.

"_Jacob! I command you to go home. You're not needed here! I got it under control!"_ Sam tries, but can't hide the quiver in his thoughts and insecure posture as he's trying to get his trembling under control. Both russet and black wolf feel how the command the black wolf tries to issue isn't attaching, hooking the way the Alpha-command usually does, through steel-cables, it slips, doesn't get a hold on anything in the russet wolves feral mind.

"_Jacob! Jacob! I knew you would come and save us. I'm having a horrible nightmare and we're all wolves, you're wolf too and that monster is trying to hurt Leah. I think he's the devil. But you're here to save us! And when you save us we're gonna wake up. And I'll be in my own bed with Mr Teddy." _Poor little Seth whimpers lying by the root of the tree where Sam threw him, but his tail starts wagging at thinking of waking up in his own bed clutching his teddy bear.

"_It's a fuckin' Alpha command, you'll do as I tell you."_ Sam snarls and barks, both males ignoring the sandy colored puppy's yips as they stare at each other.

The russet wolf doesn't answer, but his intentions are clear, he won't go anywhere, as he stands stiff legged and tall, ears erect, hackles bristling, tail held high. Snarling, his lips curling back. It's a challenge and a refusal, conveying the message of the russet wolf's dominance, of him never going to bend to the black wolves command ever again! The russet wolf's furious, but he knows he can't pounce when the rival male stands over the female, because _she_ can get hurt. He'll have to get the black wolf to step away from her first.

Nervous energy is rolling off of the black wolf, making him bark and snarl in a try to cover up for his weakened stance, for his fear. But the russet wolf can smell it on the black wolf. The russet wolf is calm, sure his growls sound lethal, but he radiates self-confidence, strength and certainty. He has the demeanor of a true leader.

He waits, staring the black wolf down, his piercing gaze frightening, penetrating into the depths of the other males soul, and there finding nothing, nothing of worth.

He waits for the mistake he's sure the inferior male, the anxious, weak male, the one trying to act menacingly but succeeding so poorly will make when he moves. The black wolf's first move will decide it all. When he does the russet wolf will act. Whatever the black wolf does it will give the russet wolf the opening he'll need and he will conquer. He's completely sure of himself. If he lunges the russet wolf will be ready to fight, to win to drive him away from these lands. Far away from his female. Never will he ever let him come near his female ever again. And if he's stupid enough to ever hurt his female again, the russet wolf won't show him any mercy.

Like the coward the black wolf is he takes the easy way out. _"Emily's probably scared and she needs me, she's afraid of storms and Harry's her uncle, she needs to be with her family, and I need to meet the council. Jacob, take care of Leah and Seth since you think you can handle that." _Sam tries to order, struggling to sound unaffected, avoiding all eye-contact with the russet wolf as he steps off the female on the ground.

"_Coward!"_ that's the first human thought Jacob forms, throwing a fast glance on the retreating figure of the black wolf, who as soon as he's out of sight phases out.

"_Leah. Lee, are you alright?"_ He asks tentatively, nuzzling against her neck and licking at the wounds there. They aren't that deep, healing fast, but her beautiful silver fur is blotched with blood. Carefully he's cleaning her fur, admiring the beautiful color of her coat. It's silkiness so unlike his own much coarser fur. She smells so wonderful, and tastes even better. Soon her fur is clean and shining again, but he doesn't stop licking, only moves his muzzle to hers and gives her long slow licks on her muzzle, making low whining sounds, touching his nose to hers and sniffing her face, before starting to lick her muzzle again. Slow, fast, then slow again, all the while wolfishly telling her how he adores her by his whining.

She's so pretty, she's so his.

"_I'm fine."_ She finally manages to formulate in her mind a little groggy from Sam's hard shaking of her and the blows she got to her head when he managed to throw her down, a little startled by Jake's wolfish attention, starting to raise to stand, turning her head a little out of the reach of his meticulously working tongue. When she stumbles Jacob rushes to carefully press his head under her chest, helping her up.

She's so beautiful, exquisite, the most precious thing ever wander these lands.

_Mine_ he affectionately thinks, his thoughts soft and fuzzy, and soon he's licking her again.

"_Seth? Are you alright Seth? Did Sam hurt you?"_ She turns to her brother, mind confused and then shaking it as if to clear her thoughts and to escape Jacob's tongue. Seth's limping towards them, whimpering pitifully, and she runs to him. Jacob follows.

_His, his, his,_ the russet wolf inside him chants.

"_What are you thinking about Jake? Your thoughts are so weird to follow, like all... I dunno... animal or something. Something is yours? Like, what's yours...?"_ The frown is evident in Leah's mind as she takes a step away from his body that once more is pressing against hers, snapping her jaws against him on instinct.

"_No-no-nothing.." _He stammers, the human boy inside him blushing, but the wolf's already brushing lightly against her again and then trying to put his head to rest on top of hers. _"You need to try to change back. I'll help you both."_

"_JAKE! You're a wolf too. Isn't it funny, we're all wolves. It's the weirdest dream I've ever had. And you saved us from the evil hell-hound. Now you can help me wake up! You're a hero Jake. I always known you're a hero and that you'll come and save me if I'm in trouble! Can I be your side-kick when you go and fight monsters if I dream this dream again some time? Please!"_ Seth bounces eagerly forgetting all about his hurt paw. _"Together we'll chase all monsters away! Like that mean boar who threw me in the tree and bit Leah. Can I get some cool special-powers too, like that stare thing you had, the one that made the evil and ugly monster give up! Wouldn't it be cool if I could be invisible? Then I could spy on everyone, like on you and Embry and Quil."_

"_Seth, that was Sam and he's a wolf too. This isn't a dream. Dad has told you the stories millions of times. We're shapeshifters, skinwalkers, protectors, whatever. Like Taha Aki. And I don't think we have special powers like that... Besides, I don't think it's smart to announce the one you want to spy on of that..."_ Leah informs, with the kind of patience only an older sister can show a somewhat strange little brother. Once again she's moving her body a little away from Jake's, but the russet wolf keeps following her, not letting their bodies lose contact.

Seth's mind goes completely blank at the information from his sister, staring dumbfounded at Leah and Jacob.

"_It's not a dream?!"_

And Jacob has to bark a laugh, Leah giving a wolfish smile, shaking her head and gently pushing her nose against her brother's neck.

"_Oh, I'm a wolf, a protector of the tribe. Jake, does that mean that I'm cool too?! Like you?" _Seth yips in excitement bouncing around and jumping up in Jake's face, licking his muzzle, Jacob having to push him away with his head and growl a little at the puppy. Not that it deters Seth the slightest who now jumps up again, slightly from the side taking hold of Jacob's ear trying to put it in his mouth. The russet wolf is shaking his head trying to make the pup stop, the puppy falling down, trying to mimic the growls coming from the older dominant male, the male that the puppy admires so much. Now he has his mouth on the russet wolf's paw.

"_Play with me Jake!"_ the puppy growls in excitement.

God, the puppy's really annoying and needs to learn some manners!

"_Not now!" _Jacob thinks sternly._ "Calm down, you need to change back to human."_

"_But I wanna play!"_ The puppy whines and the russet wolf is about to growl a warning and domineer the puppy a little to teach him better, but his beautiful, smart and wonderful female does that for him.

"_Sethy!" _she warns and instantly the puppy stops trying to put his mouth on the russet wolf's neck, whining looking at his sister and lowering himself to the ground in a sign of submission.

"_But it's fun to play!" _He tries, but Leah won't have any of that. Not now anyway.

"_We need to get to the hospital. I'm sure you can play with Jake another time." A_nd then she smirks devilishly.

The russet wolf's heart beats a little faster at the thought of playing with _her_, already moving a little closer again, since the puppy's jumping around had managed to create a divide between their bodies.

This time Jacob manages to stop his wolf from throwing his paws on her slender shoulders and his mind from racing to all the games he could think of playing with her. Games involving him wrestling, chasing and_... uhhh...oooh..._mounting her, the fleeting thought making his body bend in to a crouch on it's own accord as if he was ready to spring and his tail points straight out.

Distractions, he needs distraction, like concentrating on thinking of getting them to phase back. That's good to focus on to show them that.

But then she'll be naked. _Oh god_, now he's getting terribly aroused! He can really understand why Quil wanted to hump a tree, because he sure as hell wants to hump one now....

_Not think, not think of what he really wants to hump. Not think of her....not, not, not..._

"_I'll race you to your backyard!"_ He shouts in his mind trying to cover his thoughts. Hopefully neither Leah nor Seth had time to read his true desires. _"I'll show you how to change back there and you can get clothes inside and then we'll drive to the hospital."_ He adds starting a slow trot trying to entice the Clearwater siblings to follow him.

_Think of nothing, think of noting, think of nothing, _he sings in his mind.

"_Is that other game you thought of fun too, the hugging of trees you were thinking of? Can we play that and the conga line dance you thought of before that too? But Jake you forgot to think of me dancing the conga, you only thought of you and Leah dancing conga."_ Seth innocently yips as he frolics and dances after Jake, tail wagging. _"I'm really good at dancing and I've done the conga line at my cousins wedding. It was so much fun! I love dancing the conga."_

Oh dear god, what is the puppy saying? Jacob is choking in mortification, not knowing what to do with himself, because if Seth saw these images then Leah...then Leah...oh god, she must know what he _really_ thought...

And sure enough Leah stands frozen, and then she's howling in laughter, rolling around on the grass, but he can make out how her heart thuds a little faster than normal.

"_You know we're not animals..."_ Leah throws out an amused thought, but he can feel a little embarrassment and...shyness?...lace it. _"Or are we?"_ she adds as an afterthought, but the question is aimed more at herself, and soon her thoughts become a fast whirl that he has a hard time of following. Thoughts of their legends, of spirit-wolves and real wolves, thoughts of what she has learned in school about biology and her own beliefs.

"_Are we gonna play soon? We can do the race, but I really think the conga would be much funnier..."_ Seth enthusiastically thinks, his mind filling with images of three wolves with their paws on each others shoulders dancing in a line through the forest, soon joined of all kind of other furry animals, until the entire forest would be in a conga line. Taha Aki, what is wrong with Seth's head? Why would a bear wear suspender pants and a fox have a hat on his head or a moose wear a tie? And why on earth would four rabbits join a bunch of wolves in any other sort of dance than them fleeing for their lives, and on top of that wearing ballet tutus?At least this image is very effective in driving away the other kind of conga Jake was thinking of from his mind and also the effects that original thought had on his body. Sure the aftereffects of the tingling still surge through him but now that it's mixed with his embarrassment his mind his desires become less prominent.

"_We're not dancing the conga Seth!" _Leah orders.

"_Was he dropped on his head as a baby?" _Jacob asks, trying this way to overcome the embarrassment he has created between himself and Leah by his animal desires.

"_Of course, an't you tell? His crib was painted with lead paint too, and he used to chew on the bars." _She laughs, and Seth who's used to his sisters teasing and very amused by his own fantasy pays no attention.

"_But I'm always up for a race!"_ and soon Leah's bolting off past Jacob and his wolf goes crazy. Again!

Not that it gets any better by her mentally shouting in glee, _"Catch me if you can!"_as she pushes past him like a silver arrow, fast and tantalizing. A temptress, wanting him to chase.

_His female! Play! Catch!_

He's rushing after her, now at full speed, forgetting everything but catching her. She smells so good.

"_You smell kind of good too." _Leah thinks surprising herself when that thought forms, trying to cover it up, but her thought is already making him push even faster, thinking of nothing, only wanting to catch.

"_Your mind's really weird Jake, I can't really read it, it's like all colors and emotions and like... primal...Weird..."_ Leah thinks to him, but in his state, her voice in his mind is just a comfortable soft hum, because all he needs to know is communicated to him by her fleeing figure in front of him. The one he's closing in on. Soon... soon.... soon.

_His, his, his!_

"_Wait Jake! Wait for me!"_ the puppy left far behind whimpers pitifully, giving a sad heartbreaking howl, followed by loud whining. _"WAAAAAAIT! JAKE! LEE!" _

Maybe, just maybe that's what gets the feral mind of the russet wolf to allow a sliver of human understanding to get through. God, he can't chase Leah like this, and most of all he can't catch her like he desires to. She already thinks he's a little crazy. And he can't let Seth behind like that, he needs to look out for Seth too, for the little puppy, all alone, far behind.

Jacob halts, panting and his heart hammers wildly, trying to keep his mind blank, not to reveal what his animal side really wants, longs for, what his animal sentiments tell him to do, what his instincts order.

"_Lee, if there's still laundry hanging in your backyard try to get that and take it back into the forest. We all need clothes."_ He tells her, trying to zoom all his senses on Seth to hide the excitement the chase has again awakened in his body and mind, forcing his body to stand still and not rush after her.

After several minutes Seth catches up with Jacob, stumbling over his far too large paws, like the unsteady puppy he is, tongue lolling from his mouth and feeling miserable at being left so far behind, not being as fast as Jake and Leah.

"_Don't worry Seth, you'll get the hang of it." _Jacob comforts.

"_Now what?"_ Leah asks dragging a basket full of laundry in her mouth. She puts her snout in to the basket and elegantly fishes herself a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt and a pair of boxers for Seth, and then choosing between the last two items in the laundry basket – a sheet and Harry's pants- she puts Harry's pants in front of Jacob.

"_Wait here, and I'll go and put the pants on, then I'll come and instruct you how to phase back."_ Jacob tells them, taking the pants in his mouth and going behind a tree, phasing to a human in an instant.

_Please Champion, please,_ Jacob begs. He needs to zip up the pants he has managed to force his bulky body inside but Champion isn't co-operating – at all. Champion wants to have some attention bestowed upon him _now_!

Did it mean that Jacob was a pervert because he still had a hard-on from the excitement of chasing Leah in wolf-form and the want to mount her moments before, like an animal? It wasn't like he in is human form now wanted to fuck Leah in wolf-form, but the wolf was quivering inside eagerly cheered on by his cock to make him change back to his wolf-form again. His wolf wanted to go and smell Leah's wolfbody all over, especially her lady parts, but also every other part of her. The wolf wanted to nuzzle against her neck, lick her muzzle more, touch her nose, press his body against hers, _and_ eagerly cheered on by Champion the wolf wanted to mount her and bury himself deep inside of her. It was clear how Champion tried to control both human and wolf, be the leader of their three-headed trio, but Jacob had already long ago decided that he, Jacob, was the one in control of this trio, of their decisions, whatever his cock or wolf tried to tell him.

The self-centred Champion didn't care anything about how much Jacob needed to concentrate on other much more pressing concerns such as helping Leah and Seth change back to human. Sometimes his Champion acted like a petulant child, unaware of other peoples emotions and needs. It was only _me, me, me _for Champion, all the time. No matter how Jacob promised to caress him later, once they got home. Why couldn't Champion think of the feelings of others just this once? It wasn't like Jacob could start stroking his cock right now, he had priorities, responsibilities that went far beyond his own pleasures.

Dammit, it was painful to squash Champion down in to Harry's pants and the thin fabric did nothing to hide the bulge underneath, in fact Champion was pretty much sticking up under the lining. _Damn, damn, damn._

The yipping and pacing sounding from the other side of the tree tells that Seth and Leah were getting inpatient from the long wait. The pants already looked crazy on him, being too tight for his muscled ass and thighs, and far too short too. He looks like a clown, but he could've gone with that, was it not for the problem of his erection.

He has to do something, fast.

As always he gets a great idea to solve his problem. He takes a deliberately long step making the pants burst in the seems.

"Sorry, the pants ripped." He yells in direction of Leah and Seth.

"Turn around, I'm coming to get a sheet." He calls and the affirmative yip makes him stalk out from behind the tree into the clearing where the gorgeous female wolf lies with her head on her paws, and – thank you Taha Aki – with her head gracefully turned away. Unfortunately the puppy, who is trying to climb on top of his bored sister – whips around the minute Jacob emerges, tail wagging and rushing towards him with a happy yip, diving to get the sheet and starting to drag it towards Jacob. Well Jacob would've been grateful for Seth bringing it to him, _if_ it wasn't for the fact that he is Leah's brother and _if_ Jacob's member still wasn't standing in attention, and _if_ the puppy wouldn't have dropped the sheet staring at it with round eyes. Now a normal person would've tuned their head away - wouldn't they? - but Seth stares and stares and stares.

Jacob snatches hold of the sheet while Seth continues with his wide eyed stare, his jaws hanging slack, Jacob silently cursing the mindlink, knowing Leah can see everything Seth sees, and is if that wasn't enough he can tell how she sneaks a peek through the corners of her eyes, as he manages top wrap the sheet around him like a toga. A toga whit a pole sticking up in the middle of it.

Jacob's never ever been this red in his entire life - his ears, his face, his neck, deep down his chest burning a fire-truck red.

"Errr…right…" he clears his throat. "Ehum…You both need to focus on your human feelings, maybe some memory you like to think of, or something that makes you feel human." And then he goes on explaining and giving examples of how to phase back, eyes darting everywhere except at either of the two wolves who he fears still are staring at a certain part of his anatomy. Although his cock has slackened – thankfully – by the power of the horrible mortification he feels.

A faint shimmer in the air tells him of a successful phasing back to human, and of course his eyes fly to where the shimmer came from, only to be met by a very naked Leah lying on the ground with her eyes closed. It's the sexiest, most beautiful sight he has ever beholded in his entire life.

Now _that_ is such a magnificent performance Champion feels the need to give a full-blown salute to show his appreciation of her talent and success.

Jacob on the other hand can form no words to show how well he think she did, he can do nothing but stare at her, not even paying attention to the other shimmer right in front of him.

"I did it! I did it!" Seth rejoices looking at Jacob with big puppy eyes waiting for praise and a pat on his heads.

"Jake" Seth's voice is unsure, and once again he stares at a certain part of Jacob – albeit it's covered in cloth now.

"Are you thinking naughty thoughts? Are you thinking of the school nurse spanking you, because when I think of that, that happens to me too." Seth gasps pointing at the part of the sheet Jacob's wrapped in that stands straight out.

Oh god, what is the boy saying?!

Jacob whips around trying to hide his very prominent arousal, wishin for the ground to open up and swallow him as he hears Leah hurridly starting to dress.

"Don't worry Jacob. It's called a hard-on. It's normal. My dad says it happens to all boys, and he told me it's nothing to be ashamed of and it's not a sin. Jacob, you won't burn in hell! My mom gave me a book to read too. You can borrow it if you want to. It's called 'What's going on down there'. It's really good, but I think it's a little… naughty. It's about…sex" Seth whispers the last part.

Oh god, oh god, somebody please kill him now Jacob prays.

As on cue Leah starts giggling making everything worse.

_No, no, no._ This was not how this was supposed to go.

Why, oh why has he been made a fool in front of Leah _once again!_

* * *

**AN:**

**Seth: *looking at you hopefully* You wanna come and dance the conga with me? I'll ask all the other wolves too and do my puppy-eyes. No one can resist my puppy-eyes. *Looks at you with his puppy-eyes* Please review! The I can tell you what I learned from my book!  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN:**

**Billy: JAKE! Jacob? Jake get in here!**

**Jake *emerging from the woods, shirtless (of course) and with his hair a mess, twigs and leafs in it.*: What is it Dad?  
**

**Billy: Where have you been? The readers have been waiting and getting impatient!  
**

**Jake *blushes*: Uh...I...I have been spending time with my reviewers and...and...uh...getting ot know them better.**

**Billy *raising an eye-brow, giving a sceptical look*: Getting to know them better? Have you forgotten about Leah?**

**Jake *blanches*: NO! No, no, no. I've just been practicing so that I can be all the man Leah needs once she becomes mine and my favorite reviewers are really nice and helpful. They've taught me a lot of important things and Leah's gonna be really happy for that!**

**Billy *dryly*: Let's see about that, but now it's time for you to continue with the story.  
**

* * *

**L IS FOR LUST, LOVE, LEAH  
**

Jacob's not wrapped up in the sheet anymore, but even Seth's clothes, the ones his mother has bought for him to grow into, are at least two sizes too small, and they feel uncomfortably tight, especially since Leah's mere presence threatens to wake Champion up again. Sure, Jacob still feels flustered from his earlier mortification, as he sits next to Leah who's driving. His embarrassment the only thing that helps keeping Champion at bay. His body is tense and he's very aware of Leah's presence, trying to will himself to relax. But that seems impossible especially since the small car doesn't allow any escape from her heavenly scent. Not that he wants to, but if he was smart he would put his head out through the window. Instead he finds himself leaning closer and closer to Leah, his nostrils flaring from his discreet tries to smell her more, and more, and more, and more.

He really should worry about the seams on the shorts he has borrowed from Seth bursting because Champion has started trying to break free from his captivity in the shorts the more Jacob inhales the intoxicating scent of Leah. Jacob's mind doesn't seem to be able to focus on that at all, since he' busy trying to not look and fantasize about her. Leah's tousled hair, her smooth skin that is barely covered in her hastily thrown on clothes all making him to think of the way she looked without_ anything _on, a memory that's still burning inside of him, flames licking their way from the knee he has pressed against Leah's leg, up his thigh, towards his crotch.

But the closer they get to the hospital the somberer the mood turns, and his bodily desires take on an other character. Sure, he still feels the need to touch her, but no longer in a lustful manner. He wants her to know that he's here for her, for her to lean on. _Always there for her.  
_

All his feeling are tuned to her, every single of his thoughts laying on Leah. He worries for her, his heart aching together with hers. He wants to, needs to take away her pain. Harry and Leah are so close, and Jacob too loves Harry almost as much as his own father. They can't lose him.

_Please let Harry be alive!_

Jacob can count the times he has prayed in his life on his ten fingers, but now he's silently mumbling ancient words in his native tongue, prayers about Harry making it through, of the spritis looking out for Leah, for Seth, for Sue.

Leah's hand trembles slightly as she puts the car in park. It's an automatic response how his hand takes hers. Her hand fits so perfectly in his, he never wants to let go. He hopes his touch can convey the message from his heart to Leah. _He's here for her. Always will be here for her._

"Lee, what if-what if..." Seth stutters in a small scared voice from the back-seat, not being able to finish the sentence before a heart wrecking sob escapes him. His hand rests on the handle to the car door, but he seems unable to open and step outside.

"No! He can't be!" Leah decides hotly, blinking furiously.

Before the last word has left her mouth Jacob has already dived for her, pulling her fiercely to him. Honestly he's not as much pulling as laying himself half on top of her and crushing her to him, his breathing going as ragged as hers. She clings to him hard and he is this close to blurting out that he loves her, that he's in love with her, that she's his and that it means that he'll always take care of her. But he somehow manages to bite back the words before they escape him. Now is not the time to tell her that.

The embrace only lasts for a single desperate moment, before she pushes him off her escaping the car, jerking Seth's door open and pulling him to her. Her voice is rough, and the command in it is evident, a stark contrast to the gentle way she holds her brother.

"We're strong Seth. We're gonna make it through this together whatever happens, because we're Clearwater's."

Taking Seth's hand she starts purposefully walking towards the hospital. Jacob _wants _to touch her to wordlessly give her comfort, but the wolf _needs_ to, not knowing any other way of taking away her hurt than by his touch, by his body brushing against hers, by pressing his nose against her skin. Jacob falls into her stride, reaching for her other hand, taking it into his, pressing his body to her side.

Despite Jacob's very masculine figure, and Leah's wonderfully womanly curves paired with her inner strength emanating from her, and Seth's lanky height, Jacob recognizes how they more than anything resemble three lost kids as their image is reflected on the glass-doors of the ER before the doors slide open and they enter.

Jacob smells and hears long before he sees them, and it's no wonder since the corridors of the hospital are a long and winding maze slowly leading them to the inner waiting-room they have been directed to by the nurse at the front desk. There's worry and anxiety in the low familiar voices and in the scents he can pick out among the very unappealing and vile smells of the hospital that has the wolf in him very uncomfortable.

To Jacob's relief there's no trace of what he dreads the most, not in the tone of the voices or in the scents. Nothing reminding of the bottomless grief he once has wallowed in himself, a feeling his body, his heart still remembers, even if he was just a small child back when his mother past away.

Instead he recognizes the unmistakable feel of hope, and it's strong. They aren't too late – thank God! Jacob knows that Sue is nothing if not a realist. If she feels hope, speaks in a hopeful tone, then he too will have faith everything will turn out for the best. The smell of hope and the familiar scent of his father feels like a comforting blanket, almost drowning out the smell that has the wolf in him on full alert._ Rival male._ Here, with his father, with Sue.

_What the hell is he doing here? _

As if that's not enough the cheap perfume of his rival's bitch irritates his nostrils and her hysterical sobs annoys him further. The wolf in him wondering at how anyone would ever want want to mate with such an inferior female. What weak puppies she'll carry. There's no reason for the wolf to pay any attention to such an insignificant specimen, he merely registers her presence, and feels grateful _his_ female is a wonderful and healthy creature, making everyone and everything pale in comparison. His puppies will be strong warriors beacuse his female will help him to raise them to be such.

The unintelligible words in the low murmurs become clearer the closer they come.

"Sam! I already told you to take Emily home. There's no need for the two of you to be here, and I can't handle her breakdown right now. Frankly Sam, I don't get what you're doing here in the first place! Emily's family but I don't want her here right now, and I certainly don't want to have _you_ here. Ever! You mean nothing to me nor Harry. Emily, _calm down_! Your crying won't help anyone."

Jacob can make out the annoyance in Sue's voice. She's obviously fed up with Emily's sobbing and her mere presence, and it's no secret how much Sue dislikes Sam. The only reason Sam still has his balls intact according to rumor is thanks to Harry managing to stop Sue from going after Sam with her steak knife after she heard about him cheating on Leah with Emily.

"You're like a mother to me auntie Sue. _I_'_m _here for you. Let me be your daughter now that Leah is unable to be her by your side like she should. It must be so horrible for you to realize Leah's a freak of nature. That must be what caused Harry's heart-attack to realize Leah has a horrible birth defect of some sort. At least Leah will finally understand me and Sam, and be my friend again. I've suffered so these months when Lee-lee has refused my friendship." Emily blubbers.

Jacob feels tremors shoot from Leah's hand to his, up his arm, and she starts to shake._ Fuck, she can't shift here._

"Don't listen to that idiot, Lee." He whispers releasing her hand, but only to easier pull her to him, his hands around her waist. "Keep calm, I know you can. Focus on your mom and dad. Ignore Emily. I'll make sure she and Sam will leave once we get to the waiting-room."

Jacob holds her gaze and takes slow and deep calming breaths, trying to get Leah to match his breathing. Inhaling slowly and deeply, then exhaling at a steady and calm pace. He's pressing his forehead against hers and her body starts relaxing as she follows his breathing, until they breath in a steady calm and matched pace.

Through their joint meditative breathing Jacob hears Sue's angry hissing.

"I have _only one _daughter and that's Leah, and there is _nothing _wrong with my daughter. She had _nothing _to do with Harry's heart-attack! I want you to leave. Now."

"You'll be fine" Jacob promises at the same time and decides Leah's calm enough to continue towards the waiting-room.

"But auntie Sue... " Emily snivels and that's exactly when their little trio rounds the corner to where Sue, Billy, Sam and Emily are waiting.

Sam has obviously smelled them since he's standing in a tense and defensive crouch. His eyes narrow even further at the sight of Jacob's arm over Leah's shoulder, making him bare his teeth as slight tremors rock his form. Jacob gives him only a glance, then ignores him completely, but he's making sure his body is between Sam's and Leah's all the time and he's very aware of Sam's every movement. The wolf inside of Jacob is ready would the foolish opponent make a move.

Emily who has her face turned towards the door from where they enter, is the second to notice them, rushing up from the chair she's sitting on almost knocking it over in the process.

"Oh Lee-Lee!" Emily cries out running towards her with her arms open. "I've been so worried about you Lee-Lee. I and Sam will help you cope through your hard times."

Leah tenses again but Jacob can feel how she holds her anger in a strong choke-hold stopping her from phasing.

"Don't fucking touch me!" she seethes pushing Emily away when she tries to hug her. The push isn't hard at all, it's the kind of warning any alpha female gives a low ranking omega-female acting out of order, but still it makes Sam snarl at Leah, and Jacob finds himself growling right back. Much more furiously than the human boy intends, but the wolf could rip the rivals head off!

_No male's going to growl at his female or threaten her! _

His body is now completely shielding Leah from Sam's line of vision, keeping her protectively behind his back. Sam's still baring his teeth, but can't seem to be able to meet Jacob's piercing gaze. To cover for the fact, Sam quickly turns to Billy, speaking in a slightly shaky voice.

"As I was saying earlier, we need to have a council meeting soon. Jacob's been acting in a defiant manner and constantly trying to instigate an uproar. He's a real bad influence on Seth and dangerous for Leah. He needs to be put in his place before he causes real harm."

Jacob snorts. Like he would ever care what Sam or the council has to say when it comes to Leah. Billy's face is an unreadable mask, but he too chooses to ignore Sam and turns to look at Jacob. Jacob holds his father's gaze, his father searching for something deep inside of Jacob. The flow between them so deep Jacob feels how Billy connects with the wolfsoul inside of Jacob. The pleased smile on Billy's face only lasts for an eye-blink, but Jacob sees it there, before his father's face once again slips into a neutral mask.

During this silent conversation Seth and Leah have reached Sue. Seeing his mother Seth lets go of all attempts of being brave and not crying.

"MOMMY!" Seth bawls burying his face against her shoulder. "Mommy, I've been so scared. Sam's mean and he hurt Leah. He bit her! Hard. And I could feel how it hurt her and then he hurt me too. Look, my paw is still sore. I don't like him. Make him go away!"

"You hurt my children?" Sue growls, her eyes dangerous slits as she glares at Sam. She gently pushes the sobbing Seth in her arms into Leah's, and slowly, very slowly raises to her feet form her chair. The slow pace of her movements only adding to the feeling of Sue Clearwater being something to fear.

Jacob swears on Taha Aki that once Sue is up on her feet, she moves at superhuman rate. It doesn't take more than a second before she is fisting the collar of Sam's t-shirt in a forceful grip and yanking him forwards to meet her gaze at eye-level.

She's much smaller than Sam, but still she manages to get Sam to drop his gaze and cower. Maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise to Jacob because he has more than once witnessed how Sue Clearwater has made grown men cry. Usually she has directed that anger towards tourists who have desecrated their holy grounds, their burial sites or acted in disrespectful manner on the reservation, but that's nothing compared to the wrath she show hearing her children being hurt.

"Sue, you don't understand this kind of council- and pack-business." Sam pleads, holding his hands up as in a placating manner, failing to straighten up although he clearly tries. "Lee-lee wasn't acting rationally or listening to my commands. She was very provocative and if I had to be a _little_ rough _she_ _made me _act that way. As the Alpha it's my place to correct that kind of unacceptable behavior and make all new members submit to mine... I mean the _council's_ regime. Everything I did was for her best. We can't have individuals going rogue." He adds glaring at Jacob.

"MY DAUGHTER WILL NEVER SUBMIT TO THE RULE OF AN ASSHOLE! I'VE TAUGHT HER BETTER THAN THAT! AND IT'S MRS CLEARWATER TO YOU, NOT SUE!"Sue roars.

"Sue.. I mean Mrs Clearwater, please... You don't understand, you're just a woman. Why don't you let us men on the council handle this. Trust us to know what's best."

"I'm JUST a woman?!!! Trust _you_?! Are you out of your mind? And you call yourself a _man_? Believe me Samuel Uley, you're nothing but a little boy. " Sue hisses sizing Sam up with a condescending look on her face, stepping even closer to Sam, who instinctively backs until he's pressed up against the wall.

"Auntie Sue..." Emily whimpers. "My Sam's our next chief and he knows what he's doing and.."

Sue whips her head around so fast and her glare is so lethal Emily immediately starts crying and backs away, trying to hide behind Billy.

"NEXT CHIEF?!!" Sue explodes. "OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

At Emily's words Sam actually looks somewhat ashamed, instead of his earlier intimidated but still arrogant look.

"No-no-no.." he stammers. "Emily only means that if someday Billy will step down I could consider sacrificing myself for the good of the community by reluctantly accepting the position as chief."

"We'll see about that. As from now _I_ am taking a place on the council. It has been ruled by the foolishness of men long enough. There will be a lot of changes from now on, trust me on that."

"But...but" Sam stammers, casting a glance at Billy, clearly asking for help. "You-you c-c-can't be on the council. There's only men, w-w-warriors, on the council, th-th-that's the way it always has been. Women are to take care of the homes a-a-and..."

Sue lets out a laugh, a laugh that, was it directed against Jacob, he would feel shivers of fright run down his spine, but as it is now he smirks and can barely hold his own laughter in watching Sue massacre Sam completely, robbing him of all his manly pride.

"You want a warrior and I sure as hell am going to show you a warrior!" Sue declares and somehow manages to press her lower arm against Sam's throat in such a manner that Sam, despite his shapeshifting abilities, is struggling for air.

That's when it happens. Witnesses it with his own eyes – eyes that widen in horror – Jacob now knows why Sue's neuter-kick is famous and feared by all men, young and old alike. Her knee connects to Sam's groin so fast and forcefully that Jacob finds himself wincing despite his total lack of sympathy for the idiot that Sue rams her knee into. Damn, that looks painful. Jacob makes a mental note to never get on Sue's wrong side, because he sure as hell doesn't want his boys injured like that. Jacob's pretty sure that the kneeing very well could mean that no Sam Uley Jr would ever see the light of day. Not that the world needs a Sam Uley Jr, but Jacob can't help but to feel a little sorry for Sam.

Sam drops to his knees with a loud thud, because even shapeshifters have vulnerable spots and this is one of them. His hands are clutched over his crotch and his face pressed against the linoleum floor and - my god - is he whimpering. It's quite pitiful actually.

"There's a change coming now and you, Samuel Uley. If I ever see or hear of you as much as casting a look that I don't like on my daughter or son I will teach you how a real warrior uses her nail clippers. _Do. You. Understand_?" Sue demands vehemently, but Sam seems much too much in pain to be able to answer her.

Billy has been silent so far but now he interjects, probably because Sue looks like she debates adding a few more kicks just to prove her point, and now is not the time of having Sue being escorted away by security. Casting a quick glance on his father Jacob can see how his eyes dance with amusement even if his face still is a passive mask. His voice is calm, and gentle but the weight of his tone shine of the authority an power he holds.

"Sue, I think you've made your point to the boy. Once things calm a little we'll have a council-meeting. You're right about us needing women on the council. So I welcome you to join us."

Sue huffs and strides away from Sam with a regal posture, gathering both of her children and seating herself by Jacob's father, Seth and Leah on each of her sides.

"Emily, why don't you take Sam home with you, we'll let Sam know about the meeting and contact you about Harry." Billy orders.

"Jake, maybe you should help him outside?" Billy suggests and Jacob's never been happier to help Sam who still is lying down, his face actually a sickly green color. He better not throw up on Jacob.

Jacob hauls Sam up to his feet and starts dragging him outside. Somewhere on Jacob's third step, Sam regains enough composure to pull out of Jacob's helpful grip, staggering outside without a word to anyone, trying to lean against Emily for support, but she won't let him complaining about Sam being too heavy and wrinkling her clothes.

Once again the rival male makes a less than impressive exit, and the wolf inside of Jacob knows that his opponent is no real match to him. Maybe physically to some degree, a brawl between them would draw blood from both sides, but psychologically Sam's weak. But that doesn't mean he isn't dangerous, since weakness paired with arrogance never is a good combination.

Due to his wolf-hearing Jacob can still hear Emily's whiny voice as they move down the hall away from the waiting room.

"Once your chief we'll show them all." Emily declares far too loudly as Sam tries to hush her.

"Lovemuffin, I told you not to talk about that when others can hear..." he whispers but all three wolves hear him loud and clear.

"But Sammy-baby. There's nothing wrong with declaring your ambitions. You're going to be a great chief and then I'll be the chief's honored wife. I would be wonderful as the chief's wife, everyone's going love and admire me..._us _I mean."

_Is she for real? _Jacob has never despised a woman the way he despises Emily. What a bitch. Sam and Emily deserve each other.

Sue is still fuming, and Jacob's actually a little relieved she hasn't heard what Emily said walking out, since he's pretty sure she would be livid. Maybe livid enough to phase. Jacob doesn't put that past Sue Clearwater. She would make a pretty impressive wolf and Jacob can't help but think if the Cullen's had been in town some twenty five years earlier Sue very well could've been a shapeshifter.

"How is dad?" Leah finally asks as the calm settles the room after Sam's disgraceful exit.

"He's gonna be fine." Sue informs with confidence. "They're doing an angioplasty."

"What's that?"

Sue starts explaining about how it is a non-surgical process used to open arteries that are blocked by blood cloths. To Jacob this sounds better than needing an actual surgery, surely that must be a good sign.

"Did Charlie leave to fetch Bella?" Jacob turns to his father after a while.

Billy nods, then proceeds to sadly shake his head. "The girl needs help, but Charlie doesn't seem to know how to handle it."

Jacob sighs. Right now he doesn't have it in him to worry about Bella. He doesn't know what more he could do to help her. Nothing probably, except try to continue being her friend as best he can, but she really needs professional help. He doesn't want to deal with anymore of her drama, she already cost him not being with Leah from the beginning like he should have, like he needed and wanted to be. He hopes Charlie won't let Bella have her way this time but makes her see a therapist.

He doesn't get much further in his thoughts before a doctor steps in to the room.

"Mrs Clearwater. Your husband is in the recovery unit, he seems to be doing fine. You can go and see him now."

Sue smiles brightly hugging both of her children, then Billy and Jake. Seth is cheering and bouncing around the room, hugging all of them more than once. As soon as Jacob is able to untangle himself from Seth's cheery bouncing hug, he pulls Leah to him.

"He's alright Jake, he's alright." Leah whispers and tears fall down her cheeks.

Jacob's own eyes glitter with unshed tears as he holds her tightly to him, pressing a kiss to her hair, never intending to let go, but of course he has to when Sue, Leah and Seth leave to go and see Harry. Jacob and Billy are waiting behind for a moment to give the family a moment on their own. Jacob feels like a stone has been lifted off his shoulders, now that he knows Harry will be fine, because it means Leah will be fine too.

"She's taken us all by surprise, but I'm thinking we've misinterpreted some of the old legends. I don't think she's the first." Billy states.

Jacob knows who and what his father is talking about.

"How is your self-control around her in the other form?" His father asks and Jacob's face flushes.

"I...I.. My wolf really..uh...likes her...and she's..._mine_." He says feeling a little embarrassed under the scrutinizing look of his father.

His father looks like he's about to ask something more, when Seth comes hopping back into the waiting-room telling them that Harry wants to see them too.

Harry's pale and tired, but he's smiling holding onto Sue's hand as she sits on a chair pulled up to his bed stroking his hair. Leah is on his other side, her cheek pressed to his other hand.

"Billy, I heard you _offered_ Sue a place on the council and she has already _informed_ me on what a mistake we've made not telling the mothers of their children's upcoming changes." Harry grins, and both Jacob and his father can guess exactly how she has "informed" Harry and told about being "offered" a place. Jacob's pretty sure that the only reason there is no physical damage on Harry's body from Sue's hands, for not telling her about the shapeshifters being real and Seth's upcoming phasing, is the fact that Harry just had a heart-attack.

"I was surprised by Leah, but I think...maybe that explains some things." Harry grins his eyes dancing to Jacob's, who swallows loudly feeling his face heat again. "Like howling outside our window at night and other things..."Harry laughs. "How did Sam take this, is he causing problems?"

Sue looks enraged at Harry's mere mention of Sam's name, starting to mutter about him being a worthless piece of shit and everybody would be happier if he was banned from the La Push.

"Something has changed in their dealings, in the dynamics. It's quite obvious." Billy informs, nodding his head towards Jacob, looking quite proud.

"Jake's a hero, Daddy!" Seth exclaims, getting excited at the chance of talking about his idol. "Jake has awesome super-powers, like this cool eye-thing, like a mind-power making people do as he tells them with one look. Sam ran away after Jake used his awesome mind-power on him. That makes Jake a super-hero, like in my comic-books. I want a super-power too. I think it would be awesome to know how to fly. I could be the flying wolf." Seth babbles enthusiastically, enjoying having the attention of everyone in the room.

"That way it doesn't matter that Leah and Jake are faster than me because if I could fly I wouldn't stumble on my own paws and then I could race with them and play catch like Jake was playing with Lee. She's really fast, like lightening, but Jake really, really wanted to catch her. He was thinking about how much he wanted to catch Lee all the time, and then he was going to dance the conga with her. That's why I need to learn to fly because I don't want to miss the conga-line for anything in the world and until I grow into my paws I might stumble and miss all the fun of dancing. I love dancing the conga. Do you like dancing the conga Billy?"

_Why can't the ground open up and swallow Jacob whole? Why can't Seth keep his mouth shut? _

Leah has started laughing and Billy's smirking in something Jacob can only describe as an evil manner, even Harry in his weakened state grins and chuckles quietly. If Seth's words and Leah's, Harry's and his father's reactions weren't enough to cause Jacob's face go flaming red, the suspicious look Sue gives him does exactly that.

"Jake likes to play catch and wants to dance the conga with Lee? Is that so?" Sue questions her voice dry and unamused, and Jacob feels how his face gets even more flushed than before, and on instinct he drops his hands to cover his crotch in case Sue would decide to neuter some more wolves tonight.

Seth obviously misses both Sue's dangerous look and Jacob's anxiety and embarrassment, and the way the others laugh _at _Jacob, as he gets more and more excited, his voice rising and his body-language getting even more animated.

"Isn't it awesome Mom?!! I think Jake loves dancing the conga just as much as me! Do you know that we can read each others minds as wolves? He was thinking about dancing the conga with Leah almost all the time, at least when he wasn't thinking about how good she smelled and how her fur shined and how he liked licking her face. I think Lee's fur is so shiny because she uses that special conditioner she won't let me borrow. If I used it my fur would shine too and then Jake would notice me just as much as he notices Leah. I'm going to buy special conditioner with the money from my next allowance."

_Please, please Seth, just shut up already. _Jacob sure sweat is pearling on his forehead.

"Hey! Everybody listen up! I've got an awesome idea! When dad gets home from the hospital we can have a party and we have a conga line like at the wedding! Can we? Pleeeeeease! It will be so much fun and I can make party-hats for us all! And we can have balloons and streamers and a cake and we can dance conga all night long!" Now Seth is quite literally jumping up and down, before breaking out in a conga-step, dancing around Harry's bed.

Jacob's father must be on a generous mood tonight, since he obviously senses Jacob's discomfort and decides to give him a little break. "Seth. You know shapeshifting is a secret and it's not wise to talk about secrets where others can hear. Maybe there's no-one else in this room with us right now, but sometimes walls have ears." Billy whispers in a low voice, managing to get Seth's attention, even as he seems completely immersed in his musicless single conga dance.

Billy's words has Seth stopping and clasping both hands over his mouth, his eyes round as dinner-plates and eyes welling up. Like him keeping his words in now will help him get the things he blurted out in the open before to flow back into his mouth. Jacob has to chuckle at how funny Seth looks, he's kind of adorable even if he talks way too much.

"It's alright Seth." Billy reassures smiling at him. "Just remember not to talk about it where people can hear. It's very important you keep the secret, and I know you're very trustworthy and loyal just like all Clearwater's, isn't that right?"

Seth smiles brightly again and nods his head vigorously. "I'm very good with secrets and keeping my mouth shut! Like I haven't told anybody yet that Jacob had very naughty thoughts and had a hard-on when we phased back."

"Seth!" Jacob barks out horrified.

Seth once again clasps both hands over his mouth as if trying to keep his words inside his mouth that way, his cheeks blowing out like a hamsters. Oh god, Jacob didn't think his face could feel any hotter, but apparently it could. Leah's laughing so hard by now tears are streaming down her face and she's grabbed Jake's lower arm to support herself, because of course Jacob is standing next to her chair. Where else would he be in the room? Harry cackles in such a manner Sue starts scolding him and telling him to be still so he won't have a second heart-attack.

"Don't worry Jacob. I already told you it's not sinning, and if you have a hard-on again you can go to the bathroom and take care of it. That's what I do when I have naughty thoughts. But you have to remember to lock the door, because once when I went to the school-bathroom and opened the door to one of the stalls Quil was there touching himself and looking in a magazine with naked ladies. That was before dad told me about hard-ons and masturbating and before I got the book I'm letting you borrow, so I didn't know what he was doing. I asked my teacher and I got sent to detention when I tried to explain by showing how Quil was doing it in front of the class. Don't you think it's really unfair to give me detention for that? I hadn't even taken off my pants while showing the class and the teacher, I just told everyone to use their imagination."

Before Jacob has time to even process the information he just received from Seth, he continues. "Your penis is really huge Jake. It's the biggest one I've seen, no one in my PE class has anywhere near your size, I know because I've checked in the showers. How can it fit inside a girl? Do you think mine will be as big too?"

Jacob has _never ever_ felt this mortified in his entire life.

By now Leah is laughing hysterically, and Jacob isn't really sure if her face is red from the hard laughing or if she too blushes a little. He really hopes she colors from hearing Seth's words because that would mean she finds the though of his Champion at least a little intriguing.

"Seth!" Sue berates. "Do you remember me telling you some things are private and not to be talked about in public?!"

Seth innocently nods. "Yes, after I got sent to detention after I asked what giving head means. Brady and Collin told me to ask that. I always help my friends. They often tell me to ask the teacher questions and I always help them. But I think my teacher is very unfair though because she gets mad when I ask questions, that's weird because teachers always tell us to ask questions if there is something we want to know or don't understand but Mrs Connweller gets mad a lot for me only asking things I don't know. Anyway, do you know what giving head means? Because if you don't I can explain it to you, I know what it means now, that way you don't have to ask your teacher and get sent to detention."

"Mom? I'm gonna let Jacob borrow the book you gave me so Jake can larn about S-E-X too." Seth whispers the last part. "I don't think he knows so much about it. Don't worry about it Jake, I didn't know anything before Dad told me a while ago and Mom gave me the book, but now I know a lot and I can teach you Jake."

Jacob really doesn't need to take part of any more of Seth's lessons. _Please, please, please, high and mighty wolf-spirits, don't let Seth try to teach him anything more about sex, ever again, especially not in front of Sue, Harry, his father, and LEAH._

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**AN:**

**Jake (to the reviewers): Review and I'll go and play with you in the forest some more!  
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	16. Chapter 16

**AN:**

**I've taken the idea to the ceremony described in this chapter partly from an extract from a book I found searching the Internet called "Ceremonial societies of the Quileute Indians", written by L. Frachtenberg published 1921. It's available at the Internet Archive (a non-profit open library archive). Very interesting, but as you will realize I have only used the information in the article as a background and everything written here is of course fiction, and not intended to be disrespectful or offending anyone's beliefs or cultural practices. **

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**INITIATION**

"It's not a beauty pageant, son."

Jacob is startled out of his fretting in front of the mirror by his father's amused chuckling. If Jacob's face wasn't already covered in red paint, hiding his slight blush, the reaction to his dad's words would surely lead to his dad finding a good reason to continue his teasing. Jacob is very used to his father's teasing, but he doesn't know how much more he can take right now. Never has he felt this self-conscious about his looks before and he can admit that he has been standing in front of the mirror for a much longer time than can be considered manly. He can't really remember when the last time was when he truly cared about what he put on – probably never - but standing here in the traditional clothing, his chest bare and covered in red ocher, his face painted with the upper part black and lower part red, and with the cedar head band on, he can't help but wonder what Leah will think when she sees him.

Will she see a warrior? Will she like the colors his guardian spirit had instructed him to paint on his face, the pattern on his cedar head band, the one he had chosen and made himself after the way his spirit told him to? What kind of pattern will she choose to hers, will she let him help her make it? Will it be one matching his? Or will she think this all was ridiculous and laugh at them..._him_?

Never has any ceremony Jacob has ever participated in ever felt more important to him than the upcoming initiation ceremony to the secret ceremonial society of the spirit-warriors that will be held tonight for the two newest members chosen by the wolf-spirit.

Of course there had been an initiation ceremony when Jacob had shifted too and despite all the ritual dances and winter ceremonials he had been to during his life, he still had felt very confused at the time of his own initiation. Jacob might have been prepared for it ever since birth, at the time not knowing why, learning the songs and dances of the wolf-spirit from his father, who in turn had learned from his father, who in turn had learned from his - a line tracing all the way back to Taha Aki and beyond, to the first Quileutes, to the beginning of time and then further ahead in time, to the future of Jacob teaching his sons, teaching theirs in turn and beyond, until there were no more sons or daughters, no time, no Quileutes. But with the confusion and anxiety from his first phase into a wolf, the old rites, the chanting, the drumming, dancing, the masks and face paint had at the time done nothing to clear his mind. But what his mind couldn't comprehend, he had sensed, and maybe that was the meaning of the rites, to sense instead of thinking, to be lead by his heart, his instincts, his feelings.

"It's time." Billy effectively breaks Jacob's reverie.

Jacob affords himself one last glance in the mirror before he grabs the handles of his father's wheelchair. The image reflected in the mirror is not the boy he has been used to see staring back at him. What he sees is a warrior. A protector. A man. It's like the paint has brought all of this out in him.

_Is this truly him or is it only a mirage?_

As if sensing the questions running in Jacob's mind Billy tilts his head backwards, locking his eyes to Jacob's. "You're becoming a man Jacob, and you're already a warrior. I'm very proud of you. When you embrace your destiny fully you'll be all the things I see looking at you right now. You'll find your place when you are ready and see the path your fated to walk soon enough."

The imprints and the parents who are not on the council, and thus not members of the warrior society, are already waiting in the clearing used for the ceremony. Emily and Kim, Quil's Granny, Mrs Uley, Jared's parents, all of them having been present to Jacob's initiation too, but there are new additions tonight.

On Sue's insistence Embry's mom has been invited, as well as Paul's. Both women had been kept in the dark about their sons transformations, and this was something Sue had been very upset about learning that there were other mother's who still hadn't been told about their children being shapeshifters even _after_ they had transformed. Would she too not been told had she not witnessed the shift of her children? Sue seemed to have a hard time forgiving Harry, Billy and the council for keeping this a secret from her and from other mothers. _How could they? _Sure, the ceremonial society of the spirit-warrior was even more of a secret than to the other ritual societies of the Quileute's, since unlike the hunting society, the fishing society, the whale-hunter society and the weather society, the spirit-warrior's ritual dances and initiation ceremony never was open to anyone not in on the secret of shapeshifters. Yes, there had always been rumors among the Quileute about the existence of a warrior or wolf society, and any Quileute could easily point out the youngest members belonging to this society, but no-one knows anything about their ceremonies nor about the true nature of the members of that society, about the shapeshifters being real. Every Quileute knows better than to try to pry on their ceremonies. But sensing the hurt Sue felt by being not trusted with the secret Jacob readily agrees with her view. A shifters family must be allowed to know. Looking at Embry only confirms this belief to Jacob.

Embry's smile tonight is no longer a twisted try to force a smile despite an aching heart, but genuine, reaching his eyes. Having his mother there, taking part of his wolf-life has brightened Embry's mood and it's clear to see how much it means to him, to both of them to be able to share this experience. Jacob is relieved that Embry's mom finally knows. He really likes her, she's always so sweet and kind to everyone and it's obvious how close she and Embry are. Embry's always told his mom everything and having been forced to keep this huge secret from her had been killing him.

Even Paul who never out loud admits how important his mom is to him, since he doesn't think it fits his badass image, seems more smug than usual. Paul's not even getting irritated when his mom starts her bragging about her Paulie, very loudly telling all the spectators and the council-members about what a wonderful son Paulie is, always helping his mom at home, taking care of his little brother Brady. Only when she starts talking about how he needs to find a pretty girl with a lot of spunk and settle down, Paul starts trying to get her to quieten down.

"Leah Clearwater, that's the the kind I could see my Paulie with. My boy needs a strong woman. She could bring out his full potential and force him to become he man I know he can be, and it's no secret he always had a crush on her." Jacob hears her tell Quil's Granny and that has him growling. _What the fuck?_

"Mom!" Paul barks out roughly. "I don't crush on girls. Girls crush on me!"

"Paulie, I remember very well how you used to pick fights with her as a kid, pulling her pigtails, pushing her off the swings, teasing her, always trying to get her to chase you around the play-ground, bragging at home that Leah was your girlfriend to your little brother. Don't think I haven't noticed how you still try to get her attention every time you see her with your teasing."

Before Paul has the chance to make her stop, she has already walked up to Billy, ignoring his sons embarrassment and aggravated groans. "Billy, when is Rachel coming to visit? She's a great girl too, very bright and feisty. I think she could be even better for my boy than Leah, since Leah's might be too much for my boy to be able to handle. Rachel's like the light version of Leah, a little less intimidating and maybe my boy could find the courage to ask her out. He seems a little shy with girls, you know he's never brought a girlfriend home. I don't think he ever has had one. Maybe you would like to come for dinner all of you when Rachel comes home for the summer? I'm starting to long for grand-children and I'm sure you want some soon Billy. I know how you love kids, you always tried to convince your Sarah to have more babies. Paulie was such an adorable baby. Imagine your Rachel's eyes on a baby boy with my Paulie's face. Oh, that would be the most beautiful baby ever..."

Now Jacob's full out snarling, no way in hell is Paul ever going to date one of his sisters and definitely not impregnate them.

"Shut up, mom!" Paul grunts grabbing his mother swiftly under her arm and somewhat forcefully leading her back to sit with the rest of the spectators, away from Billy who looks ready to fetch his shot-gun at the thought of having Rachel dating Paul and having his babies.

The bonfire is lit, and it's time for the council to seat themselves. Jacob and Embry help Billy to take his place on one of the logs placed in a half-circle around the bonfire. Old Quil takes the seat next to Billy and soon the rest of the council members seat themselves, an empty place on Billy's left side where Harry usually sits. Tonight the seat will be occupied by Sue, once she arrives. She has taken Harry's role of being the one bringing the novitiates – Seth and Leah – to the clearing. They all know Harry wouldn't have wanted to miss the initiation ceremony held for his children for anything in the world, but with the vampire activity in the area, the pack needs all additions they can have as soon as possible, and the initiation is crucial to becoming a full-fledged spirit-warrior. It is juts as important as the physical training and fighting-strategies, it has to be held despite Harry still being at the hospital and unable to attend.

Jacob is edgy, the tension between him and Sam so thick the air could be sliced with a knife. The hostility rolling off the two largest males makes all of the wolves in the clearing twitch nervously. The wolf is snarling inside of him, clawing against his skin.

_One Alpha_, the wolf instincts tell him, becoming a chant in his mind. _Birthright. His legacy. His destiny._

Why Jacob hasn't grabbed the position yet the human boy can't really explain any longer, the reasons he had before don't seem valid anymore, and the wolf within him doesn't understand at all. It's against all his natural instincts. Not sitting right with the wolf. Unnatural. Wrong.

_Leader, Alpha,_ Jacob's wolf-heart drums, the echo of the pounding flowing through his veins and filling his entire body with it's rhythm.

_Alpha... Leader... His land.... His pack.... His forest... His people... His responsibility. _

_To protect, to look after, to lead._

Tonight at the ceremony there will be one wolf to lead the dance and there isn't a chance in hell that the wolf would let his rival do it, especially not in front of the alluring and beautiful female who is going to be his.

_Alpha female. His mate._

Sent to _him _by the Great spirit - K'wati. Sent to him by the sun, the earth, the winds, the ocean.

_His… his… his._

"Jake. Jake. Hey Jake!"

Finally Quil manages to get Jacob's attention after turning his slight nudges to Jacob's side to a hard shove.

"What?" Jacob barks out roughly, instinctively baring his teeth before realizing his mistake.

_Quil friend. Sam rival. Challenge Sam, fight Sam. Quil friend, not threat._

"You were growling. Are you alright?" Embry whispers concerned, and Jacob becomes suddenly aware that he has been staring at Sam, slight tremors rocking his body.

Jacob tries shaking his head to clear it because he's thoughts feel all jumbled-up.

He can feel his father's eyes resting on him, and several of the council men's and the spectators too, not that he cares about their opinion, but his father's matters to him. Finding his father's eyes, even when his face is hidden by the wooden wolf-mask he is wearing, Jacob feels reassured, calmed. The look in his father's eyes isn't one of disapproval or worry, but calm conviction, of faith. Whatever Jacob will choose to do tonight or any other night he'll know his father will back him up, and if needed his father will set him straight.

Jacob places one of his hands on Embry's shoulder, then moving it to touch Quil's, a silent thank you and an apology for his unintended hostility towards his friends, before resolutely moving to the center of the clearing, Embry and Quil following a few steps behind. Jacob's aware of how his movements are making Sam stiffen even more and look incredibly pissed-off. Then Sam too starts inching closer to the center, followed by Paul and Jared, but there's a hesitance to his steps that the wolf in Jacob picks up on, and Jacob's unable to stop the smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Perhaps he should learn to be more like his father who always seems able to keep his face expressionless when dealing with unpleasant business, but it's impossible forJacob to not to show how he delights in noticing Sam's reactions to the silent warfare. Like how Sam shrinks a little, hunching his shoulder and folding his arms across his chest defensively, shuffling his weight from one foot to the other in a nervous manner in response to the way Jacob straightens himself, to his puffing out his chest, to how he's standing legs wide apart, arms relaxed and physically invading the space in the clearing. _His clearing. _His eyes once again lock with Sam's, but before a real staring-match can erupt they both are distracted.

Jacob's senses tune in on the sound of the light footfall he would recognize anywhere, even now when it's muffled by an older human woman's heavier stride and a somewhat clumsy young pups excited and anxious bouncing and stumbling.

The evening-breeze is carrying with it the promising scent of the heavenly creature approaching. Jacob has to close his eyes to quell the urge to rush to meet her. Not tonight, she is to be led to him...to them.

He forgets the insignificant opponent completely, his senses tuning in on only her, awaiting only her, feeling only her.

_She is the woods, the trees, the grass growing, the flowers, the animals, the soil of the lands of their ancestors. She is the earth. He is the sky, the water, the wind watching over her, caressing her with his touch, feeding her from his hands. Together giving life to their people, nourishing them, giving them guidance and strength. She is the moon at night, a mystery paid reverence to, a dream, a promise, a hope. He is the sun at day, providing security and warmth. She is his other half, he is hers. Together they are all, they are everything, they are nothing. _

_His mate, lead to him by her mother. _

Was not Harry still at the hospital, the approaching Leah led by her father, would nicely coincide with another of Jacob's secret fantasies, a daydream no sixteen year boy would ever confess of having. The one where Leah would wear a special kind of dress and they would speak everlasting vows to each other and he would give her a token to seal their eternal love. No matter how great that daydream is, this is a thousand times better than any of his fantasies ever have been since it's _real_, even if it's not nearly as graphic as how his daydreams usually turn towards the end.

When she steps out in the clearing Jacob literally stops breathing, becoming stock still, frozen. She's heart-stoppingly beautiful as the last rays of the setting sun filter through the trees and dance on her skin. Her silky hair shines silver-blue in the sun, a stark contrasts to the warm red glow of her skin as the sun caresses her body, the same way Jacob wants to touch her, lightly, tracing every inch of her form with the tip of his fingers, with his lips, his tongue. She's always radiant, but now she looks magic. _She _is_ magic. His female. A treasure, a wonder. His._

She appears on alert and her heart-rate is speeding slightly, but he doesn't smell fright on her. She holds her head high and her posture tells of her courage and ability to face anything head on. Jacob can do nothing but smile as he admires all that is her.

Who else would walk this bravely in front of the council and the members of the warrior society? Who else but an Alpha female?

_His Alpha female! _

Her eyes quickly scan the clearing, as if searching for something until they find his eyes. Stopping. He forgets everyone else, mesmerized. He could stare into her eyes the rest of his life and probably would, if Seth stumbling into Leah wouldn't make her avert her eyes and look at Seth.

"Sorry Lee." The clumsy puppy whispers. "Whoaaa... Look Lee." Seth's voice is filled with awe, and his eyes literally go round as saucers as he stares at the painted warriors in front of him and at the council sitting in a semi-circle all wearing the wooden wolf-masks.

Sue's also wearing a mask, the wolf-mask Harry usually wears and the traditional attire with the clothing tied in a manner to imitate a wolf's tail. She gathers her children and brings them to sit on a mat placed next to the fire.

The both novitiates arrival and the darkness starting to fall makes Billy start the chanting, and immediately Jacob lifts his head towards the skies and howls. The rest of the wolves following his lead as the council-members shake their rattles or drum joining in the recitation of the chants. Something in Sam's howl tells Jacob of suppressed anger, but Jacob couldn't care less at the moment as he feels the ancient rhythm take him over. The soil under his feet telling him how to move, the air around him whispering of the memory of those before him, the night sky memorizing _this night_ to carry the tale of it forward through great distances, through dreams, through passing times until eternity. With every movement, every sound he becomes the wolf, _is_ the wolf even when his body still a human, but his mind, his heart, his movements, his cries are all the wolf's. Sensing his pack, rather than seeing or hearing them, how they all fall in to his rhythm, his movements, how their presence touch his wolf-soul, until they all become one, until they are all him and he is all of them. One pack, his pack, as he is theirs. Protectors of this land, belonging to this soil, these forests, this sky looking down on them. They are his and he is theirs, they are one and the same.

He thinks nothing, only feels as his feet move in an ancient pattern dictated by his guardian-spirit, by his forefathers, by the wolf inside of him. The flames from the fire dance on his skin, on the skins of his pack, on the smooth velvety skin of his female. He feels her gaze follow his movements, leaving a tingling sensation in it's wake, igniting a wilder fire in his blood than the bonfire they have burning, a wilder rhythm than set by the drums, a message more secret than the one told by the chanting. His movements following only one sound – the beat of her heart. His movements baring all of him to her, all of his soul for her to see. _These lands are his to protect_ he tells her. _This is his pack. This is what he has to offer her. This is what he is. _

On his father's signal the recitation, drumming and dancing stops. The shapeshifters all seat themselves following once again Jacob's signal, a signal he's not even aware he's giving. He feels, he is, the same way the pack feels, the pack is.

Jacob finds himself sitting opposite of Leah, staring intently at her. He looks only at her, unblinking, pleased with how he felt her eyes follow his movements, burn on his skin. The fire makes her eyes glimmer like the stars above them and he feels the need to touch her. But the burning wood in the fire, the light night breeze, the grass whispers to him to wait. _Not yet. Wait. Wait until she is given to him, a member of the pack, until she accepts, takes his hand._

But it's so hard. He wants her by his side already. Wants to lay her down on the ground and become one with her, have her in his wolf-mind, him in her heart. Like he hears the grass growing, feels the life in the forest, he wants to plant his seed in her and have it grow in her.

A masked elder approaches, the Mother, giving a signal to the novitiates to rise to their feet, leading them around the fire, right to left, throwing sticks on the fire and reciting ancient words that awaken the ancestor spirits, calling the novitiates guardian-spirits to show themselves, to surface from within the two wolves lead around the fire. The pack, elders and the spectators beat their feet against the forest ground while the water-carrier offers them all to drink. The fire, the earth, the air and the water calling out to the deities, to the Great spirits.

The novitiates are to be seated again, and the Father, his father, begins the singing of the old tales. Of K'wati the transformer, of the first spirit-wolves, of the beginning of time. When he stops another elder starts his song, until all the tales of their ancestors are shared. Stars watching them, moon wandering over the sky.

Then the Father, his father, motions for the novitiates to approach him, one at the time. The female first, kneeling in front of him. The magic in the words passing his lips is old, and the wolf can taste the power of them on his own tongue and feel how the Father searches deep in her soul, helping her guardian-spirit to surface, the old magic passing from his hands to her as he touches her forehead, chanting the praise of the courage, strength and heart of the guardian-spirit inside of her. The Alpha wolf feels the moment she too becomes all wolf even when her body still is human, when her mind opens to the night's magic.

_Soon. Time. His._

The brother next, but his eyes don't follow that ceremony, even if he feels it done, feels the whisper of a cheerful, happy, loyal soul settling to his mind, right along the voices of the others. But he's only actively listening to one voice, feeling one prescence, his eyes resting on that wolf. Letting her mind fill his. Beautiful. A melody as soothing, as vibrant with life, as eluding as the water running in the river, as the earth whispering to him. He lets his mind flow to hers, tries to show how his presence could be like the air she breathes, could be like the fire that warms her, like the sun that lights her path.

The face-painter is approaching the novitiates, and in his wolf-mind he recognizes one of the wolves proud cheery thought – _Granny_- and the painting ceremony begins, marking the faces of the novitiates in the way their guardian-spirits dictate. He cares not for if her face is clean or painted, it doesn't matter to him. He already knows all she is, all she can be, already seen her wolf-soul, doesn't need the paint to retell that message to him. The paint is for the others, the council, the spectators.

The Mother makes her final appearance leading her children around the fire in the opposite direction reciting once more ancient words, the night air stilling. He's rising up now from where he has been sitting and as on signal the rest of the pack behind him stand up as a silent shadow. The Mother instructs her children to turn around to face the wolves. Jacob eyes unblinking on the female. Even before Sue has handed over the two new wolves symbolically in the charge of the Alpha wolf, he's already stepping froward extending his hand for the female to take. There's a slight pause, a heart beat before she places her hand in his, making him let out a satisfied rumble from deep in his chest as he pulls her closer, pressing his forehad to hers, noses touching. Somewher inside of him a slight warning voice, a human voice rises, but the wolf ignores it. His heart speeding maddeningly as his tongue darts out licking over her lips, over her face, very light, very quick before pulling her to stand at his side. She shudders and scrunches her face, conflicting emotions running through her. He can smell it, and even more he wants to, needs to do it again so she will understand, so she will learn to like it. His entire body is longing to run his tongue over her again and again and again. Over her entire body. But he can't right now since the puppy who has been eagerly peering at him from behind the females shoulder is now straight in front of him, looking like he would jump up and hug him any minute. A wolfish amusement resonates through the entire packmind but no Alpha can have a puppy jumping up his face at a ritual like this, so he growls a soft warning before placing his other hand, the one that is not embracing his female on the pups shoulder. Squeezing once, a welcome and then pressing his forehead to the pups before directing him to fall back in to the mass of his pack.

"He forgot to lick my face." The puppy whispers to one of the other wolves, and again amusment fills the air.

The dawn is breaking and Jacob can tell today is going to be one of those rare days when both sun and moon will be visible on he sky at the same time. A day wishes come true, a day of wholeness. Or it would be if not a repressed uproar is flaring up in the collective wolf-mind. _The rival male. _His being and his protest have been overpowered during the earlier parts of the ceremony by the sheer force of the ancestors spirits flowing through the elements directly to Jacob's wolf-soul, but all the time there has been a silent nagging, like a small pebble in a shoe. Discontent, the feel of being slighted, annoyance, envy, jealousy. Now it's breaking free as the rays of light chase the magic of the night away. The rival finding his courage when the reality of the day approaches, when the mystery of the night, the singing of the spirits has silenced to a low murmur in their blood, when they once again become more men than wolves.

"I'm supposed to take the novitiates Jacob." The rival male states gruffly, his body posture uneasy, hostile, muscles twitching.

The wolf's hold of the female tightens. _His. To take care of. Protect. Love. Never release her to another. Always by his side._

"No." Somehow he manages to formulate a word in the human manner, and in a surprisingly neutral tone too.

"Jacob, you're not following protocol." Sam continues.

Slowly Jacob bares his teeth, body erect, filling out, his eyes boring into the rival males._ No!_ Does he use his words to say this? Or is this message communicated through growls, through unwavering stare, through his regal body posture? Jacob doesn't really know, nor care. However it is done it gets the job done, Sam averts his gaze. But he still doesn't lower his head submissively, revealing his throat, rolling over baring his belly, like he should. Doesn't give up his Alpha position. He obviously still thinks too highly of himself to do that, believes himself to be in the right, that's why he turns his gaze towards the council with a requesting look. Clearly wanting their help in the matter.

"The novitiates have been handed over to the Alpha as I was instructed to. I have followed protocol and fulfilled the ritual." Sue states evenly before returning to her seat among the council-members, unmasking herself, like the other elders are doing. The women among the spectators starting to handing out the food they have brought with them, as is custom at the end of the initiation.

Sam takes no notice of Sue. Even if Jacob doesn't always listen or care for what the elders of his society tell him, he would never be disrespectful like that.

"I'm still the Alpha" Sam states, and now Jacob is full-out growling, both of his arms possessively wrapping around Leah, his eyes locked on the other male. This is his female. _Mine. _He has chosen her to be his and she has accepted by taking _his hand, by standing by his side._

There's a anxious and frightened murmur among the spectators, Emily's whispers of disrespectful behavior and instigating fighting filtering to Jacob's ears. Of course she's talking about _him_, but every wolf can feel the opposite. Sam is the one causing the discomfort and unease within their pack, the solid unity they all felt during the night, being breached by Sam, the one defying the order dictated by the earth, the skies, the wind, the Spirits.

The council is silent, the elders awaiting the Chief's lead, his choice of action, but he merely watches. Eyes intently reading his son, Jacob feeling his father's trust. The council will stand behind him in this.

Only Seth seems somewhat unaffected by the hostility between Sam and Jacob as he curiously eyes the pack and the council-members. They all felt and noticed his joy about at last being invited to join the older boys, and to Seth it seems like he has never been so privileged, remembering all those times the older boys have sent him home and not let him join their games. Only was he invited when Leah played with them, but no he's a full-worthy member all by him self! At least that's what Seth thinks, unfortunately not realizing that Leah still very much is what _all _the males are focused on. "This has been the most fun I've ever had, even better than my cousin's wedding!" Seth beams at them all. "I'm really hungry Jake, can we eat too? Do you want me to hunt rabbits for you, I bet I could catch them!" He adds, eagerly awaiting a task from his leader.

The opposing males would ignore him, wouldn't the female burst in to laughter hearing her brother, the tension her body has absorbed by the contact to Jacob's reaction to Sam's challenge, easing right off of her, making Jacob's body react to her relaxation.

"Yeah, let's eat. I'm getting bored of this stare-off. If I have to follow someone it'll be Jake, got that Sam? I'll never follow you, I'd rather become a lone wolf if it would come to that. Let's eat." She's untangling herself from Jacob's grasp, turning around to look at him. "You coming? I wanna watch Seth catching some rabbits. I'm starving and that fish fry over there isn't going to be enough to all of us. I'd rather not starve the first thing I do as a full-fledged spirit-warrior."

_His female is hungry!_ _He must feed her. Hunt. He won't catch a meager rabbit either, nor a measly deer. No, he'll catch an _elk_. Then she truly will know how well he'll feed her. He will prove that he deserves to be her mate. It will confirm that she made the right choice. He will boldly bring down the body of the largest elk, the king of the forests, bravely fight the hooves and the crown on the elks head and drag the carcass back to her to feast on, letting her eat first of them all, eat the entire elk all by herself._

And off he goes, clothes shattering around him as he phases on the run, completely oblivious to the gasps coming from the imprints, the parents and some of the council-men as russet fur flashes past them and the confused and shocked looks on his pack's faces. He's in such a frenzy to prove his worth to the female that he doesn't even notice Leah's perplexed look. Nor does he distinguish how the other males all echo: _The female is hungry?, _or hear the faint sounds of the chaos behind him as all the males react to this information of the Alpha female's hunger.

Maybe that's a good thing, because who knows what the possessive male would've done had he tuned his ears to listen to his packs actions and words that are later replayed to him both by his laughing father, who finds it all very amsing, and in the minds of the pack.

"Lee!" Quil shouts. "Squirrels taste really good, I sometimes catch one as a snack and when the animals hide from me I eat berries. The squirells can be really sneaky, climbing up in trees. Cheaters! That's why I always let my Granny cook for me. She could cook for you too and then we can have a pillow-fight!"

"I..I..I cou-could make us waffles if you like..." Embry whispers very quietly.

"Lee, let's have an after-party at my place. I've got meat for you if you're hungry" Paul smirks lecherously, raking his eyes over her form.

"Here. Cheese-cake." Jared hurries out rushing forward with a half-eaten piece of cheese-cake in his hands as Kim looks on with hurt eyes since he has snatched the cheese-cake from her plate.

Sam has padded over to Emily and taken a Tupperware container full with muffins in his hands, but Emily's whimpering request of being cold and needing Sam to warm her up stops him from approaching Leah.

"I could go to your house later Quil! The pillow-fight sounds fun and I like your Granny's meat-loaf. And I like waffles too Embry, we can have them as dessert. I can help you make them. I'm very good at making waffles when I don't forget them and the smoke alarm goes off. And I love parties Paul! Will there be games at the party ? I like playing twister, but Leah always wins because she's so flexible, so I don't think any of you will like playing games where you have to be flexible with Leah because she'll win them all." Seth innocently rejoices at the prospect of finally getting to hang out with all of them.

Jacob would probably be growling had he been present to hear the thinly veiled groans and eyes flickering over Leah 's frame as the males hear Seth's comment about her flexibility.

Leah only laughs, rolling her eyes. "That's right boys. I'll always win everything! Better not to even try! I bet I can win over all of you in catching those rabbits too." and then she's phasing, silver fur flying towards the trees and as on signal all the males phase after her, Jacob's mind again filling with the weight of his pack, but his thoughts are very unclear since he's right now pouncing on the largest elk ever to wander the forests. An elk worthy an Alpha female's first meal in the wolf-pack. Had Jacob's mind been a little clearer, more human, he might have considered that Leah might not like to eat raw meat, but the wolf knows that his female must be very impressed when he drags the carcass to her. What female wouldn't be? Then she will realize he's the best mate for her ever. There is no better way of proving that, the wolf's sure of that.

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**AN: **

**Jacob/Russet wolf: Review and I'll hunt for you and then I'll lick your face! **


	17. Chapter 17

**AN:**

**Billy: Jake! Have you been visiting the reviewers again! Leah has been waiting for you... You can't take off for ages like that, leaving the rez unprotected and your mate all alone.  
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**Jake: But...but...the reviewers smell _so good!_ I can't stay away from them. I want them all. And they really like me, they scratch me behind my ears and rub my belly and give me doggy treats. I like treats.  
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**Billy: *looking sternly at his son* Now it's time to make a choice, Leah or the reviewers. You can't have both.  
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**Jake: *pouts* The reviewers will be lonely without me.**

**Billy: We'll just have to send one of your pack-members to them. Just have them tell you which of the wolves they want for the night or day and you'll work out a schedule. **

**Jake: * To the reviewers* I'm sorry, I can't visit you any more... *whispering * ...at the moment... *louder again*...but tell me which wolf you want and I'll send them to you. **

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**EVERYBODY HERE WANTS YOU**

His successful hunt makes his chest bubble with pride. Singlehandedly he has taken down the largest elk bull ever seen, bravely battling it head on, undeterred by sharp antlers and aggressive kicking front legs. The russet wolf would let a thousand elks try to kick him to bring his female the kind of meal she deserves.

He loves making his female feel good, what could make her feel better than feasting on this fleshy elk? Eating it she will get lots of energy, she will keep healthy, and most of all she will be happy once her belly is full. Afterwards he will lick her fur clean and then she can lie down and sleep while he'll watch over her. Keeping her safe.

Then he'll help her look for a place for their den. He already knows a great place. It's very comfortable, warm, smells nice and most of all it's safe. His home, his bed. Perfect for his mate and him. He knows other places too, like the cave where they used to play as kids or in his garage, but then again his home is perfect, why would she not want to live there? Anywhere she will choose will be great, he trusts her choice because his female is smart and will find a good place for them to live and raise their puppies. Russet and gray with his snout and her eyes... Maybe four? Or six? Or eight?

Visions of himself and the beautiful silver wolf trotting happily through the green forest where sunlight would always shine on them, with pups running after them in perfect bliss filling his mind, making the russet wolf heart swell, getting all giddy, having to roll around on the forest floor, thinking about his bright and wonderful future. A future soon to happen, she will want it too, there's no doubt in his wolfish mind. What female wouldn't seeing what a great mate he'll make bringing her meaty elks, showing her his awesome hunting skills and the promise of how he'll feed her when she's nurturing their puppies?

His tail is still wagging as he eagerly starts dragging the kill back to his female. He's so happy and pleased with his accomplishment that it takes him a while to even notice the cacophony of voices and chaos in his mind.

_What the hell is going on? _

Through the mindlink, the inferno of yips, barks, growls, mixed with playful and not-so-playful wrestling, slowly becomes as vivid as if he was there witnessing everything first hand.

All male wolves – except a sandy colored puppy none of the males pay any attention to, no matter how much he tries to talk to them through his mind, by barking or approaching them with his tail wagging – appear completely crazed by the silvery vision running ahead of them. The russet wolf recognizes the wonder displayed to him through the eyes of his brothers immediately, his heart staring to hammer wildly by the beauty of her, having him fasten his pace.

_A Goddess_. _His!_

_She's so pretty. _

_His female... His mate. His._

_He's coming!_

_Hurry_, he has to hurry to her. She's hungry, his mate is hungry. He will feed her. He's coming.

Even as a second hand vision he finds himself completely entranced by the spell of her, dazzled, excitement coursing through his body, leaving him thrilled beyond imagination. That's why it takes him a while to understand that not all feelings making are stemming only from himself.

Never has any of his wolf-brothers seen or experienced anything as alluring as the female wolf. All the male wolves' senses tuned to her. Smelling, looking, tasting the air for her, too excited, too intoxicated by her presence to notice the russet wolf's warnings in their heads. Too busy with their own efforts of showing how manly, strong and fit they all are to the wonderful female they are following.

_How dare the other males look at_ his _female like that? She's his! His._ _He's the one who caught her the elk. He's the strongest and bravest wolf. A leader. He's the one who deserves to be her mate._

Faster, he needs to get to her faster. The russet wolf picks up speed; the elk dangling in his mouth as he storms through the forest.

"_Look at me beautiful wolf-Queen!"_ wolf-Quil's inner voice filters through Jacob's mind and then Quil butts his head full force in to an old western red cedar, splinters flying everywhere, nearly breaking the ancient tree in two. The pack-mind filling with Quil's wish of Leah being really impressed with his awesome tree-breaking skill, trying his hardest not to show how much the stunt hurt his head. "_Oooouch"_ He can't hold the miserable whimpering howl in, but quickly regains his original direction of thoughts. "_Don't worry Goddess! I have a really thick skull so the tree hurts much .more than me! Have you noticed that I'm chocolate brown? Do you like chocolate? Because when you lick my fur it will be like eating chocolate. My Granny says I can have any girl I want, and I want you. Do you want to be my girlfriend? Please? Pleeeease wolf-Queen, pleeeeease make me your King!"_

The russet wolf snorts, still miles away, not worried at all, since his female would never want to mate with a wolf whose best skill involves fighting with trees, when he isn't humping them of course. What female would choose the chocolate wolf when there is _him_ – the russet wolf – who is an amazing elk-hunter, who is strong and fast, who is a leader and who will devote his entire life to worshiping his mate?

"_Ha! That's nothing. Look at what I can do Sexy!" _the dark gray wolf that is Paul thinks of Quil's tree-trick, then lunging at a tawny colored wolf - Jared - grabbing him by the neck and shaking him like a chew-toy. The female sighing heavily in her mind, mumbling something about Taha Aki giving her strength, not even stopping to glance at the now wrestling two males.

Speaking of chew-toys, a wolf with a salt-and-pepper colored coat, black spot over his left eye, with socks and a chest that look like they have been dipped in milk is approaching the female, timidly stopping a few feet ahead of her, dropping something in front of her and carefully nudging it towards her with his snout, the female halting to look at him.

"_It's for you Wolf-Princess. A very good stick to chew on or if you want to play with it __together with me ..." _Embry shyly thinks and despite him being in fur they all feel how he blushes furiously through the link.

"_Err... Thanks I guess…"_

The russet wolf chuckles as he feels the mental eye-roll the female is unable to hide, even if they all feel how she kindly tries to not show her reaction for sake of the shy wolf. The message is clear in the russet wolf's mind. His female won't chew on sticks. Ha! Why would she, when she soon can have one of the bones from the elk he has caught her, to chew on and play with together with _him?_ The russet wolf _knows_ this is why she doesn't want the stick. Of course the human inside of him might come to a different conclusion, like that Leah hardly would like to chew on sticks at all, but in his excitement and rush of emotions the balance between man and wolf is slightly off, him being very much wolf, very little human.

"_You smell really _good, _sexy She-wolf! I can worship you like a Queen deserves to be…" _The dark gray wolf thinks, still tumbling around chasing and biting the tawny wolf, his mind filling with images of how exactly he would show his devotion to her,. He'll make her feel _really _good. And the result of their union might get his mom stop riding his ass about settling down and giving her grandchildren. He'll bring her a full litter of puppies and then is mom can take care of the cubs, taking them for walks and keeping their pelts shiny, and he'll take care of the she-wolfs bodily comfort and pleasure. He's not repelled the slightest by the female wolf's snapping jaws and growls warning him of coming any closer to her. With his experience of all kinds of females he's sure he can make the feisty she-wolf fall for his wolfish charms. He's pretty sure she'll like the amazing things he can do with his tongue, and teeth...and...

_NO! _

The russet wolf growls ferociously, making Paul snap his head up, cautious, jaws still locked around the tawny wolf's neck. Even if the russet wolf still is too far away for them to physically hear his growls, the fury burning through the packmind makes the dark gray wolf hesitate of approaching the female. All the wolves becoming wary, cautious. _Not theirs, not approach, Alpha female. His._

Well, almost all since the chocolate colored wolf is too busy and too dizzy with his latest try to get the female's attention. "_Look! Look! I can catch my own tail! I'm awesome and fast wolf-Queen! Have you ever seen anyone as fast as me being able to catch their own tail?" _

"_I'll show you fast!"_ The she-wolf's deep laughter rumbles in their minds tickling the russet wolf, making shivers of delight run down his spine. He loves her voice and laughter in his mind, and even more he delights at the feel of her exhilaration as she picks up speed and flies through the forest. The best part? That she's flying towards_ him_!

As the russet wolf storms closer he takes part of how the tawny wolf whimpers pitifully as wolf-Paul still has him pinned, before wolf-Jared remembers that the _Queen _might be watching and he tries to put on a show of acting strong and masculine in front of the beautiful female. After some struggle the tawny colored wolf finally manages to take a hold of the dark gray wolf's flank and bite hard enough to escape.

The tawny wolf takes off after the female, like they all do, with hope shining in his eyes. Maybe she will let him be her servant and let him sleep by her feet and fetch her things, and _Taha Aki please grant him this one wish_, to let him use his tongue as her fur-cleanser? "_Please, please, please. Let me lick your fur and be your servant Queen!"_ Wolf-Jared begs crawling on his belly submissively after her, as she stops to look at him, slowly inching as close as he dares to the female - which isn't very close at all.

The russet wolf is very smug noticing the distance, and the way his female ignores the pitiful whining noises coming from the tawny colored male, rolling her eyes once more.

"_I can carry the stick you got from Embry!"_ Jared rushes out in his mind and then applauds himself for thinking of this task he can do for the beautiful wolf-Queen, rushing to take it in his mouth as the female ignores both him and the gift from Embry, starting to run again, deeper in to the woods, towards the russet wolf.

"_Lee, what are they doing? I don't want to splinter trees with my head and I don't like biting someone else hard in the neck. It's not nice to hurt someone else." _The sandy colored puppy informs his sister. The russet wolf registers the disappointment the sandy colored pup feels. The pup had thought it would be fun to be a wolf, to have a pack of brothers but these wolves are ignoring him and seem a little crazy to be truthful... and...and the puppy doesn't understand anything. "_It's mean to not explain the rules of this game to us Lee. If I had new friends playing I would make sure they knew the game and the rules before starting to play. Do you know the rules?" _

She snorts, slows her pace letting her brother catch up with her as he stumbles after her, ever so often tripping on his own paws. "_I don't know what the hell they are doing, just ignore them."_

The sandy puppy pouts, "_I always wanted to play in a live action role play, but they forgot to give me a role. They gave you one. It's unfair, __even if it seems boring to play a Queen, because all you got to do is look pretty and look at them while they pretend to be court jesters or your servants."_

Leah starts laughing. "_Sethy, I don't think they are playing. Let's face it, they're fools for real. That's boys for you… Not very smart, except for recognizing that I'm their Queen and boss of course." S_he barks a laughter and then bumps against her brother, before gracefully leaping over him running around him in circles.

"_I'm a boy and _I'm_ really smart!"_ Seth protests hotly and Leah bumps into him again, laughing.

"_You're my brother, so there's hope for you, although you're a still a bit of a dork."_ She laughs gently.

"_Am not!"_The puppy growls.

"_Are too."_

"_Am not! And mom and dad says that I don't always have to do what you tell me and always let you boss me around. I can be my own boss. So there!"_

She only laughs, her heart filled with affection and love for her brother, warming all of the wolves in the pack, all of them hoping she will have _them_ in her heart like that. The russet wolf wish the fiercest of them, wanting to possess all of her heart, and have his heart as hers, wanting to possess her body and soul too.

_His._

"_Jake?"_ The female asks, but he has a hard time forming words in his mind right now, all he can do is sense, and feel the need to be with her, to bring her the elk, to run by her side.

"_I think Jake is playing a game too, but I don't know what yet. I bet he's doing some awesome mind-trick, that's why we can't understand his thoughts right now. Maybe he wants us to find him? Lee, lets find him! Please Leah!"_

The female laughs at her brother's eagerness. _"He's not exactly hiding, I can feel him barreling straight towards us."_

The puppy stops for a second. _"You can feel him?" _Astonishment in his thoughts, then quickly changing to over-excited cheerfulness when he searches in his own mind and indeed feels the russet wolf's attachment to him.

"_Lee, Lee. I can feel him too. Jake! Hi Jake! It's me! Seth! Seth Clearwater. Your friend. Can you hear me?" _

Sure he hears the puppy hears loud and clear, of course he does. Silly puppy.

"_Jake! Are you running here so you can chase us around or take us on a treasure hunt? I love treasure hunts and solving mysteries! And spying! I'm going to be an awesome adventurer when I grow up. Just like you Jake. We can work together. Can we play adventurers when you get here or maybe Robin Hood and his merry men?"_

The russet wolf is coming. To his female, to them all. First his female will eat and rest and he'll spend time with her and play with her, and teach the other males to stay away from _his. _Then he'll play with the puppy.

"_Weren't you supposed to catch rabbits?"_ Leah thinks to her brother and this has the puppy excited again about the thought of showing Jake how good he is at catching rabbits, starting to sniff the air for a rabbit to catch.

"_Do you want rabbits wolf-Queen?"_ With that all the males start rushing in different directions with the intention of catching her rabbits, as many as she will eat. Only the way the males having been barging after her and behaving has long scared off all smaller mammals from the area near them.

The russet wolf is almost there now, when a sliver in the air tells another wolf has shifted. The rival male, joining them. Through the mindlink the russet wolf sees and senses the black wolf's irritation at being held back by his Emily's need to have her cold feet and hands warmed, the rival being upset by what that _idiot _– the russet wolf huffs when he catches the tone the rival male uses in describing him - might have done in the mean time. Has he gotten closer to _his Lee-Lee_, can't have that. Now the russet wolf is growling and the rage makes the black wolf aware of the need to hide is thoughts. But still slivers of images slip through, of the rival talking to the council. _Not good... not fit to run... No Alpha-material... Immature... The council needs to... Unreliable...No... not right... Chosen...I'm still Alpha..._

The russet wolf snorts, he could care less of what the other male tells the council about him or what the council thinks. He knows his father trusts him, and even if the rest of the council would oppose him, it doesn't matter. All he really cares about is what she thinks and feels. She's what matters.

"_The monster's back!"_ The puppy howls frightened when he becomes aware of the last mind to join them, making him stumble and fall entangled in his own paws and abandon his unsuccessful rabbit hunt. _"The bad monster can hurt Leah. We need to help her, she's all alone."_

The panic in the puppies mind has the russet wolf rush even faster, full throttle now. He'll get to her before the rival male. All of the other males are turning around too to get back to the female, with or without rabbits in their mouths – only Paul and Embry have caught a rabbit each - not recognizing what danger the puppy is howling about, but nonetheless returning to protect her from whatever monster the puppy fears will hurt the wolf-Queen.

The black and the russet wolf arrive at the site at the exact same time, the other males already in a circle around the female, who is rolling her eyes, telling them to get out of her way, that there's nothing to fear, only her douchebag-ex who'll she be able to handle just fine by her own, but none of the males listen as they feel the puppy's terror that she'll be hurt, his fear of monstersin general and by smelling his fear, seeing the way his tail is tucked between his legs but how he still is bravely standing pressed to the female wolf's side ready to defend her. Something horrible must be on it's way, the rest of the wolves' thoughts fill the packmind, something that intends to hurt their wolf-Queen.

The way the puppy starts growling, still shivering in fright, at the sight of the black wolf has the rest of the males astonished. Is this the monster the puppy is afraid of? But it's Sam, pack, leader. Nothing to fear. Good, brother, friend.

"_Out of my way!"_ The black wolf commands and his word carries a weight that makes all of the other males move automatically, leaving the female exposed to the black wolf.

The sandy colored puppy whimpers in fright but still bravely presses to stand next to his sister. "_Jacob! Help!" _he cries.

The russet wolf has taken the shape of a wolf before and held the boy buried deep inside of him, or the other way around, been a boy with a little bit – or a lot - of wolf inside of him, but as the time before when seeing her in fur, her as a wolf, he is nothing butwolf, nothing but male wolf, a male Alpha wolf. And she is his female, his mate. _His._

The reaction fills him and echoes through the packmind. No human logic or rationality or feelings in that sense, only instinct, primal knowledge.

"_My pack, this is my pack. Have to listen to me, follow me", _the black wolf grounds in his mind in objection._ "She'll listen to me, will be my_ _pack, under my_ _command. Mine." _

"_NO!" _Two minds, two voices, two ferocious growls, male and female as one. The russet wolf's and his mates.

"_Not your pack! Not yours. Mine." _The russet wolf lands in front of the female, protective, challenging. Teeth bared at the rival male, at all of the males, crouched in a position telling of him being ready to fight.

The others, the ones he growls and barks threateningly at, the ones he towers over, showing his alpha status for, shrink away at Jacob's posture, lowering themselves to their bellies, showing their throats, whimpering in defeat, acknowledging with their minds. "_Yours." _

_His, they are his, she is his. __Not try to take_ his_. Alpha female. Alpha male. Mates. _

Well, the puppy doesn't understand the part about his sister. All he knows that he is Jake's too and that his sister is an equal to Jake, but this he already knows, because he has seen how often his sister commands everyone around even Jake, has doing all through their childhood.

The rival male, foaming around his mouth at hearing the assent in the other males' minds, still snarling at the back of his throat, but shrinks back too, but still not in clear submission. Unsure, nervous, but not giving in.

"_I can fight him off on my own."_ The female's trying to push to stand next to the russet wolf, but he won't let her. _Protect_, his mind soft, despite the threatening growls towards the rival male. He wants the male to go away, to leave, to never try to claim _his _again. His female, his pack, his territory.

The black wolf growling more aggressively now, defensive, desperate, more dangerous. Eyes flicking nervously, feet dancing.

"_Knock it off Sam!"_ The female thinks. _"Can't you just get over yourself for a minute. Go home or act normal. You're giving me a headache, just go back to Emily, you're such a damper on everyones mood, we were having fun. If you can't hang out like other people...uh...wolves or whatever, then leave." _

The females words making the black wolf snap out of his crouch and idea of attacking. For now at least.

"_This shouldn't be about having fun, whatever the kid tells you Lee-Lee. This is serious business, we're doing a job of being protectors, not running around in the woods like animals, with no thought or reason. The tribe's protectors needs a competent and good leader. Surely you must realize that. That kid doesn't know what the fuck he is doing, you haven't been in his mind like I have, you don't know how unreliable and immature he is. It's not safe for you to follow him around."_

"_Just fuck off Sam! Shut your mouth or leave. I don't care what the hell you're thinking, no one cares."_

They all feel the offense the black wolf feels, the humiliation burning through him, ripping at his pride, scalding his emotions, the hurt her words cause slicing in him like a knife. The wolf feigns disinterest, turns his head away and sits down, not leaving, pretending to ignore them, being busy watching the trees, his tail flicking irritable back and forth.

The russet wolf narrows his eyes, not moving from his protective stance in front of the female, not until she sighs.

"_Should we go back home?"_

No, he won't let the rival male destroy his happy day with his female.

"_He__ won't bother you anymore today!"_ The russet wolfishly smiles at her, because he feels the black wolf's not going to attack. Maybe he should drive him away, but he's still brother, part of the pack, even if he's not the russet wolf's favorite brother. Not right to drive off, not if he doesn't do wrong.

The russet wolf relaxes after a couple of deep breaths and seeing the other male doesn't move. He turns to face the female completely, his eyes rake her form; roam every inch of her, lingering on her neck where he will bite down gently when she lets him. He is already flicking his tongue out, tasting her scent in the air. The tongue he will lick her muzzle with soon, giving her lots and lots of wolfish kisses.

That's hen he remembers the game he killed! He has to bring it to her.

"_Look!" _He thinks as he takes hold of the carcass once more and urgently drags it in front of her. "_For you!"_

His heart beats wildly with excitement. His hunting skills will prove to her what a good mate he'll make. That he's the only one worthy of her. No one in his pack has killed an elk this size, the others have only caught rabbits or small rodents. And the inferior rival never has hunted down a single animal while wolf, instead he's making his mate feed him. That's not the way a good male behaves towards his mate, the wolf is sure of that. A good male feeds his female, looks after her and take care of her, the most important member of his pack. That's exactly what this female is to him. He'll take care of her good. What can prove his worth more than the tender and mouthwatering flesh of this elk? The female wolf must love a gift like this.

The human inside the russet wolf has often watched in confusion at his sisters' and other girls' behavior, now the male wolf witnesses that females in every form are unpredictable and hard to understand. His female keeps staring at him with a confused look then turning to look at the elk, sniffing cautiously at it.

"_What am I supposed to do with that?"_ She asks.

"_Eat!"_ He laughs, shaking his head at her silly question. Gently bumping his shoulder against hers, unable to keep from licking her muzzle any longer. It feels so _good_! Tastes wonderful. Playfully he nips at her neck before bumping against her again and dancing around her and the carcass, trying to entice her to taste.

"_Good!"_ He barks happily, tail wagging. "_Fresh! For you!"_

"_It's raw."_ She cringes taking a step backwards away from the meal. "_I don't eat raw meat. Yuck. We have to cook it over a fire, and elk takes a lot of time to prepare. No one has a knife, we can't even skin it."_

What? Doesn't she like his gift? The russet wolf doesn't understand. This is the best he could think of bringing her. Isn't it good enough for his mate? The russet wolf can't hold in the heart wrenching whimper. He wanted his female to have the best meal of her life and now she won't even taste the elk. His chest constricts painfully and the lump in his throat makes it hard to swallow.

"_I'll eat it Jake!"_ The puppy yips, but that doesn't make the russet wolf feel any better. His mate will still be hungry, she's the one he wants to feed, needs to keep healthy.

Long gone his happy bouncing as he tries to appease her gently pushing his snout against hers. He'll hunt her something else. Maybe he'll run to Canada and bring her a moose? Or maybe she wants him to try to catch salmon for her?

"_Oh god! You don't have to hunt me anything. I can feed myself just fine. What's wrong with you Jake?"_

"_You're hungry."_ He wistfully thinks, his misery at her hunger washing over them all, making all the males whimper pitifully. Well, except the black wolf, who mutters something low in his mind about kids and immature pups, and who clearly rejoices at her turning down the elk.

"_You need to eat so you'll keep strong and happy.__"_ He thinks again a little more firmly.

"_The __others are hungry too."_ She interjects.

He doesn't care about the others._"You're more important." _

"_Lee-Lee's not an animal. I've been telling you Jake that this animal behavior has to stop, it's ridiculous. Don't eat it Lee-Lee, you might get sick eating raw meat, besides it's disgusting, barbaric, savage. You deserve better than eating and living like an animal." _The rival wolf thinks, shifting his body towards the female. The wolf starting to regain confidence, trying to reach hold of the females mind, triumphant that she denies the russet male's gift.

Recognizing the intention before any of the others, she growls at the black wolf, stepping forward to the carcass, mind determined, intent on rebelling against his thoughts.

"_I guess I'll taste it if that makes you happy Jake."_

She'll taste it? The russet wolf starts bouncing around happily again, throwing his paws around her shoulders, getting her off balance, both of them tumbling around and rolling, his tongue laving her the entire time.

"_Jake!"_ she protest, but her tail wags. _"I can't eat if your attacking me."_

He jumps off her, barking happily, moving to stand by the carcass, to watch over he while she eats and make sure none of the others dares to touch the food before she has had her fill. He finds himself holding his breath in eager anticipation.

She digs in with great determination. Would wolves cry tears would literally spring to the russet wolf's eyes from the satisfaction he feels when she takes the first bite. All the males are eagerly following her eating, all except the black wolf who turns his head away in disgust.

"_It's good! I never thought I'd like to eat raw meat, but I guess I'm more of a wolf than I thought. Although I still prefer cooked meat." _She thinks after a couple of mouthfuls._"You want some of this, there's enough for you to have some too."_ She says after taking a chunk out of the elk's leg and retreating back leaving the carcass. The other males all stare at Jake waiting for his permission, but before he has time to give it, as he's busy eating of it himself, the black wolf once again interferes.

"_It's not worthy of members of this tribe, of warriors , to act like animals. I'm going home now. I cam to tell you that Emily promised to cook for us all. We can all eat in a civilized manner with our families instead. Let's go."_

The other wolves shift uncomfortably, but none makes a move to follow.

"_I'm sure Kim wonders where you are."_ The black wolf snarls, wolf-Jared reluctantly getting up to follow Sam, looking at the she-wolf mournfully. _Why isn't his Kim a female wolf too?_ The thought echoes through the pack-mind, and the russet wolf snorts a little. The girl would make a very weak wolf, sweet maybe, but not strong enough, always needing protection, not a protector.

"_Paul? You gonna stay with these kids?"_ A little hint of smugness returning to the rival male's voice as he has Jared up an following him.

"_I've never been the first to leave a party."_ The dark gray wolf's not getting up, to the black wolf's great surprise.

Sam's thoughts get strained, irritated at Paul's resistance, feelings of betrayal surging through him._"You're supposed to be my friend."_

But Paul just smirks mentally. _"Yeah, but you don't got hot sexy she-wolves at your place. I rather look at her than you and Jared being pussy-whipped, it's not like there will be bunch of hot single chicks at your place."_

The black wolf snarls, then casts a fast glance on the two other pack members he might try to persuades to come, but it's obvious to all Embry and Quil won't leave their friend, are loyal to the russet wolf. Upset the black wolf storms off with the tawny colored following unhappily.

"_I've called a council meeting, there's a lot to discuss about the present situation." _The last thought reaches them, before the black wolves mind leaves them.

"_Bye Wolf-Queen." _The tawny colored whispers sadly before he too phases out.

"_Eat!" _The russet wolf gives his consent to the other wolves, all of them attacking the meat, as he lies down next to the female, eyes resting on her, as he contently eats on the hind leg he has removed the elk dragging it with him to her.

"_I'll barbecue for you later!"_ He thinks, because he has picked up how his female would much more prefer her meat not raw for some odd reason the russet wolf isn't clear on, but for her sake he'll do anything, even destroy perfectly good meat by putting it over a fire.

But right now life couldn't be any better. She has eaten, she isn't hungry anymore, she is by his side, she's happy. That makes him very happy too, overjoyed to be exact.

_"You're tired. Sleep." _he whispers to her in his mind. _"I'll keep you safe." _He will always keep her safe and sound, happy and healthy. Because she is his.

* * *

**AN:**

**So I've been thinking that I need a beta (well I known that I needed one all along with English not being my native tongue and all, but been too lazy...), but anyway I kind of need someone to not just proof read and correct my language and grammar, but also to comment on where I'm heading with the actual story since I'm sort of feel lost at the moment. I had this idea from the beginning but it kind of got lost during the fic, the story kind of starting to live it's own life and leaving me uncertain and confused... So anyway if someone is willing just PM me or something. **


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: **

**Billy: Jake, where have you been? Didn't we talk about you needing to focus on one woman only? Have you been visiting the reviewers again?**

**Jake: No! Although I wanted to, **_**badly**_**. *with longing* I've missed them so much. I sent Paul and Embry and the rest of the pack to visit the reviewers, and give them a special thanks from me. Paul told me he had a great time. Embry didn't say much, he just blushed when I asked what he had been up to... **

**Billy: Then where have**_** you**_** been?**

**Jake: *exclaims, with the biggest smile ever seen* I've been visiting my Beta! **

**Billy: *furrows his brows* I thought Leah was your Beta?**

**Jake: *laughs and shakes his head* No! Leah is my Alpha female, but my **_**Beta female**_** is **_**Amanda Wilder**_**. She helps me make my stories better so I can win Leah over with my storytelling skills!**

**Billy *eyes Jake suspiciously, asks dryly* Really? And this *nods at Jake's half-naked appearance * is how you're dressed when Amanda helps you with your story?**

**Jake: *smiles happily* Yeah, or sometimes I take it all off! She says she doesn't mind, and clothes feel so restricting. Anyway, she's really awesome, she's helpful and kind and encouraging. She's a storyteller too, just like you dad! You should read her stories. *Hands over **_**1001 Jacobian nights**_**.* Gotta go see Leah now! *runs off***

**Billy: *shakes his head, staring after his son, starts reading...* *mumbles to himself after the first chapters* Is the air conditioner broken again? It's getting awfully hot in here. *takes off his shirt, revealing where Jake has inherited his toned body from* I wonder if Amanda likes an older, wiser, more experienced and skilled version of my son? I still work out, I'm good company and I know what a woman wants and needs. Maybe I should call her? *starts dialing***

**

* * *

**

**BODY AND SOUL**

He can tell she's tired. They all are to some degree, being up all night for the initiation ceremony, being the novitiates and the suspense that brings, it's natural she and her brother are much more tired than any of the others. Besides he has too much adrenaline running in his system to be able to sleep would he try. Not that he would when she is tired, when she needs to rest, because that means he'll guard her and keep her safe when she gets the sleep she needs.

He's been closely monitoring every single movement she has made, however minuscule, and closely paid attention to her thoughts, noticing how they have become slow and sleepy. Gently he nudges her neck with his snout, tenderly encouraging her to lie down.

"_Rest." _

She sighs, briefly considers protesting, but lets her body drop when he bumps his head against her body a second time. She's resting her head on her paws, lazily observing the others, and he wants nothing more than lie next to her, but instead opts for moving to stand protectively over her.

"_What are you protecting me from Jake? The sun?"_ She laughs and looks up at him with an amused expression.

The russet wolf doesn't know exactly what he protects her from, but they're a team, and he _needs_ to protect her, she's his other half.

"_You're tired."_ he states. _"And you can rest while I keep watch."_

She stretches her limbs out more, rolling to her side, still laughing, peering up at him with a mischievous look in her eyes.

"_You don't have to stand over me. I'm sure you can "protect me" just as well if you're sitting beside me. I like the feel of the sun on my pelt, and you're shadowing it." _

Her thoughts have a soft quality that the russet wolf picks out and marvels over, wanting to hear more, anything, with that tone directed at him. Hearing that she likes the sun warming her pelt, he immediately steps off her, to stand beside her, then sitting down, but making sure one of his paws is lightly on top of her body. If she likes the sun, he's going to make sure it shines on her as much as possible. The russet wolf doesn't know exactly how he will make the sun always shine on his female, but he will try. He'll talk to mysterious spirits and ask them to warm her pelt.

She grins again wolfishly, _"I thought you already were the sun, all on your own. You seem to shine bright enough to earn that title. I've heard Bella call you her sun all the time." _She pauses but continues before he has time to protest that he wants to be her sun and not Bella's. He doesn't care what Bella thinks of his ability to shine or warm her. "_Maybe you should go and protect Quil, he seems to be under attack."_

The russet wolf casts a quick glance at the chocolate-colored wolf who's rolling around on the ground, fervently rubbing his back against the dirt, whining loudly about how badly it itches, and about being attacked by bugs.

Has he got fleas again? The russet wolf has never had fleas and none of the others either, but Quil seems to get them all the time, constantly scratching himself. It must because he's always humping every boulder or tree he sees.

"_No it's not! It's because I'm sweet like chocolate! Granny says that's why I always get bitten by mosquitoes, and the fleas love me because I taste so good," _Quil defends himself.

"_Or because you rarely bathe," _the dark gray wolf throws out, at which Quil indignantly protests, claiming that he showers all the time and that he has a special flea shampoo and all, and if they keep up with the teasing he won't let them borrow it, except for the female wolf. He'd let her borrow it and he'd comb her pelt with the special flea comb his Granny uses on his fur when it itches.

The female laughs, struggling to hide her mental images of the huge wolf-Quil being given a flea bath by his tiny Granny, dressed in the kind of protective gear someone would wear to a nuclear plant and spraying Quil with the garden hose. The russet chuckles too, but then once again busies himself with admiring the softness of her shiny pelt. He'll keep Quil away from her until he's flea-free; in fact, he decides to send Quil home to get the flea-bath at once, so none of them will get his itch.

Quil's taking off immediately, rejoicing at coming home just in time to catch his favorite Sunday-morning cartoon.

If she were ever to get fleas, not that it seems likely to happen to someone as wonderful as her, it would be _him_, not the chocolate-colored wolf, that would comb and wash her pelt. With his tongue, cleansing and laving the itching away on every inch of her. In human form, his hands gently massaging her scalp, running his fingers through her raven strands, before caressing her entire body with a soft sponge, the way he washes his car, lovingly, and her sighing with pleasure...

"_You want to become a hairdresser now Jake?"_ the female asks, interrupting his fantasy, that he really didn't mean to show her – her tone with a sharp edge to it. The playfulness gone from her tone, even though she tries to preserve a lightness, tries to act like she's indifferent to what she caught in his mind. But he notices how she's shifting her body, her heart beating faster, focusing hard on blocking him, them all, from her mind. He doesn't like when she gets distressed. Has he caused it? He didn't mean to. He's pushing his muzzle against her neck, pressing his paw more firmly against her, his own heart hammering anxiously. He's about to start with the apologetic whining sounds, to get her to forgive him, but is interrupted by the puppy bouncing up to them.

"_You're gonna be a barber, Jake?"_ The puppy exclaims eagerly. _"We could open a salon together, you and me and Leah. She's really good at cutting hair, she always cuts mine! And I could sweep the floors, you could wash as much hair as you like." _

The female's mood seems to lighten at the pup's interruption, and the russet wolf is relieved by that. It's a great thought working together with the two siblings, in fact he likes it very, very much, sees it as the truth of his future, although not exactly in a barbershop, more like a garage or anything the she-wolf would like when not running the pack together. Because that is their main work, that's the truest knowledge for the wolf. The pack's theirs to lead, it's what they are made for, what they have accepted, the night before cementing that order.

The puppy is surprisingly energetic and shows no signs of being tired. Does he ever tire?

"_No... he'll keep going, on and on." _The female laughs affectionately, her feelings becoming tender at thinking of her little brother and his antics. The puppy's tail is wagging – like it has being doing the entire time since the black wolf disappeared – even more so at the thought of finally getting to play with the russet wolf, pushing his snout towards the russet male's, trying to lick his muzzle. When the russet wolf shakes his head and pushes the puppy away, the puppy tries to get between him and the she-wolf, climbing on top of the she-wolf, to get her or the russet wolf to wrestle with him or chase him. The russet wolf won't play with the pup right now, and the female really wants to sleep.

"_Later" _he thinks, but the puppy doesn't give up. Only when the pup starts gnawing on the female's tail, disturbing her, does he nip the puppy over the nose in a rebuking manner, to get him to stop and let her rest.

Immediately the puppy throws himself on the ground belly-up in a submissive manner, whining pitifully, and the russet wolf almost feels bad, giving the puppy a friendly nudge with his snout. This seems enough to make the puppy bouncingly happy again, now trying to get the other males to play with him, by pretending to steal the few scraps of meat Embry and Paul are busy polishing off. Paul's pushing the puppy away lazily, growling, while Embry leaves his eating to oblige the puppy's tries to get them to play with him. The puppy's excited laughter fills their minds,when Embry chases after him and then wrestles with him, clearly holding back his strength to let the puppy feel like he has a chance to win – which he doesn't have. Embry's quite strong, and the puppy's wrestling is all over the place. Clearly he has no strategy, or general idea of what he should be doing, but bites at whatever he can get a hold of, and his excitement isn't helping the pup any.

"_Look Jake, look! I'm really good!"_ he shouts to them in his mind, when Embry lets him nibble his ear.

It feels good to have the puppy's excitement bubbling in their minds. The puppy's presence making them all feel happy, his playfulness and giddiness quite catching.

The russet wolf would like to lie down next to the she-wolf but he needs to keep watch, so instead he opts for sitting, on alert, but with his body firmly pressed against hers, paw still resting on her – protective, claiming, a physical manifestation of their spiritual bond.

He can _feel_ that everything is calm on the rez, that there is no threat in his territory right now. The small noises from the forest tell him that the lands are safe, but somewhere in the back of his mind words that Sam has said have left a trace, nagging in his mind. He wants to, needs to show that he is a good leader. Show it to her, to himself. He isn't irresponsible like his rival claims, not when it matters. He's not. He will look after them all, protect them all. He would never let anything happen to anyone he loves. Patrolling is the way Sam does it, claims it should be done because patrols are the way they assume their ancestors did it. Telling that he can _sense_ when all is safe on the rez and that he can sense danger has always left Sam laughing in a condescending manner, claiming that no real leader would trust such a reason as instinct and feelings, saying that it's not real knowledge at all. What does Sam know about anything? But still his words nag in the russet wolf's mind. What if something did happen because he has not made sure, taken every precaution? He likes trusting his feelings, but maybe he should order patrols to make sure? Maybe it's more rational, safer? It troubles him, because for the first time he really wants to make a conscious decision as a leader of a wolf-pack, to make a good decision. To prove himself as a wolf, as an Alpha. He doesn't want to leave her, and wouldn't she be tired if he took her with him and showed her their territory, but he doesn't like ordering the others around either, to tell them what to do, to make them patrol.

Unexpectedly Paul's the one to bark out: _"I'll run a circuit if you want."_

"_I can go too"_, Embry offers.

"_Me too, me too!"_ The puppy yips. _"I think I will be very good at patrolling, I'm gonna make you proud of me Jake! I won't miss anything that's going on. I'm very observant."_

The russet wolf is very pleased, and not only because he will be alone with the she-wolf, but also because of how good it feels to have his friends, his pack, his brothers volunteer to patrol on their own accord. They're working together. It's much better like this than how his rival constantly barks orders at them, never asks for their opinion or never waits for them to do anything of their own will.

The tired she-wolf, who was already half-asleep, protests at first, not wanting the puppy to go anywhere without her. Only the puppy's relentless begging and pleading to her not to ruin his fun, makes her finally cave, but only after the russet wolf's reassurance that Embry and Paul never would let anything happen to the puppy. Still she makes Embry and Paul swear on their lives that Seth wouldn't get hurt in any way, telling him to not go off anywhere on his own and keep close to Embry and Paul and finally threatening them all with all kinds of evil if her little brother is harmed, even if it would be his own clumsy doing.

The russet wolf's heart swells from feeling the deep care the she-wolf feels for her puppy-brother, her concern for his well-being becoming all of their priority. He pledges to himself to always make sure the puppy's safe, never to risk his safety, because that will make his female happy. He would of course keep the puppy safe anyway, but feeling how important he is to the she-wolf, the puppy becomes one of his main priorities, below her, but on the same level as his father and sisters.

The clearing is quiet and serene as only two giant wolves remain, but at the same time it's still buzzing with life, only the sounds more meditative now. The wind over the soft grass, the birds chirping, the rustling of leaves as small animals move about, all of this forming a lulling sound. She starts to drift off, is already between sleep and wakefulness. He can't resist anymore. He nudges her gently with his snout, nuzzling a while against her neck, before starting to clean her fur meticulously.

"_Mmm, that feels nice..." _Her thought is groggy, but the satisfied sigh she gives, the way her body relaxes completely, makes the russet wolf beam. The feeling that _he _makes her feel this good, and then _feeling_ how she feels so content and good because of _him _and _his_ tongue, makes his heart feel like exploding. It's the best feeling ever.

Soon sleep takes her and now that there is an actual patrol running, he feels he could lie down next to her and rest too, which he does. His head lightly resting on hers. He's never felt this content as a wolf before. She's here with him, they can lie like this, side by side, together. They will lie like this every night from now on, and for the rest of their lives. It's pure bliss, it's all he needs, will ever need.

The three other wolves are maybe half way through patrol when she finally stirs and awakens. By now his body is half-way on top of her. He enjoys being really close to her, it feels so good. He likes sleeping close to his wolf-brothers too when shifted or to lie next to them, but never has he felt this amount of comfort lying next to, or rather on top of, another warm body.

"_I'm pretty comfortable as a pillow I guess,"_ the female smirks, trying to roll around to get him off.

He nips her gently in the neck, trying to stop her wriggling out of his hold completely, putting more of his weight on her, but _damn_, she's fast and agile. She lets out a playful bark at succeeding to tumble out of his hold, rejoicing at her own skill. His tail is already wagging frantically, the same as hers, and god does he want to play!

"_Is Seth alright?"_ she asks, remembering her little brother, halting her bouncing steps.

"_He's fine! Still patrolling," _the russet wolf answers as he starts trying to entice her to play, moving around in front of her, his head lowered, backing up, jumping back, then forward towards her, bumping his body against hers. Very much like the puppy was doing earlier.

She twitches her ears, and after listening to Seth's dialogue, well it's more of a monologue, filled with constant chattering directed towards a very patient Embry trying to answer the pup's relentless questions about every single thing he sees or thinks of, and Paul, whose mind by now is only grunts as he tries to block the puppy's voice out of his head, she relaxes. The pup is safely patrolling - or in truth following Embry and Paul around, while talking about everything he observes.

"_I wouldn't let anything happen to him,"_ the russet wolf assures.

"_I know. But I need to make sure too."_

He loves the way she feels the need to check for herself, she's the perfect Alpha female, but most of all his heart warms at hearing that she believes in _his_ ability not to let anything happen to her brother, that she trusts him to keep the puppy safe.

"_Of course I trust you Jake, why wouldn't I? I know you, Jake, I've known you since you were born. You always keep your promises and you always look out for others. You're gonna be a great chief one day."_

And then she lets out a playful bark and jumps at him, getting a hold of his neck and almost, _almost_ managing to flip him over.

"_Or then I'm gonna be the chief, after winning over you in this battle!" _She laughs, surprised by almost succeeding in pinning him.

He growls in excitement, as she makes another fast charge towards him, her jaws closing over his muzzle in a playful manner. He's fast at throwing his paws around her neck, gently nipping back. She laughs in her mind – he loves the sound – and he lets her escape his hold, only to charge after her, having her roll around the forest floor, with him after her, over her, under her. He's jumping back and forth before her, she mimicking his movements, his paws and mouth all over her, just like hers on him. Pretty soon she gets the gist of it, or rather forms an effective technique, consisting of dodging and avoiding his gently snapping jaws or the paws he tries to trap her with. Instead she's going in for quick nips, at the areas he's most vulnerable and then backing off. Would she bite for real she actually could damage him. Underneath all his giddiness he's impressed; she could hold her own, he's sure of that, in a real battle. Maybe not completely against him or someone like him, but she could definitely take Quil and Jared, and have a chance against Paul and Embry, maybe Sam too with a little fine-tuning of her technique. She's got passion and heart enough, that's for sure. He's dazed by her scent and the thrill of playing with _her._

If animals could laugh and flirt, this is what his behavior would be seen as. They're rolling all over the clearing, his heart singing with joy. Soon he's forgetting all of this being a game, as he boldly storms closer, trying to catch a whiff of her female parts, barely avoiding the snapping of her jaws. He doesn't retreat, instead he bumps against her with a little more force and intent this time, and then throws his front paws over her neck, his body trying to hold her in place, trying to still her tries to escape by biting the coat at her neck, only to earn a painful cut at his side from her sharp teeth. A real bite, a hard one. The russet wolf isn't deterred by her aggression. Not at all. It only spurs him on. The human in him always having loved challenges, but that love is nothing compared to the wild excitement the wolf feels at the thought of this challenge, making him bark enthusiastically. The wolf really, really wants to smell her. Everywhere, but most of all he wants to smell her female parts. His growls turning deeper and more feral when that desire fills him. _Could she just be still for a moment?_ Her feet are dancing like a boxer's, but he's ready for her every movement. He won't let her flee very far from him. Maybe run a little for fun, because he loves the thrill of chasing after her. It leads to one of the best moments in the wolf's existence, that of catching her again. The russet wolf loves nothing more than catching her, bodily feeling how she's his, his mate, his girlfriend, and the promises the feat of catching and holding her might bring him, how she might show her appreciation when he has again proved to her how masculine, strong and fast he is, maybe by licking his muzzle or letting him smell her female parts. The russet wolf, and the human boy _know_ females _always _want their men to prove themselves to them and he's very willing to do exactly that. The russet wolfis certainthat catching her is the best way to do it. The she-wolf will be very impressed by that. He can't wait to show how good he is at catching her, and when he has caught her, she will reward him by being still and then he can smell her all over, his nose buried to her body, like he wishes.

She snarls in earnest now, seeming very irritated. The russet wolf emotions go frantic. What's wrong? He doesn't understand. Is she hungry again? He becomes cranky when he's hungry too. Does she want him to hunt for her again? Or is she sweaty, does she want them to go to the river for a dip?

He lets go of his desirous wishes to press his nose all over he body, _for the moment at least_, to approach her with his tongue lapping in the air, ready to lick her muzzle again, to soothe her and have her tell him what's wrong, so he can fix it. He's very good at fixing things, and he wants the female to know that, so he can fix what's bothering her.

"_Geez Jake, you're just too much sometimes. What's up with all men thinking they have to prove themselves by stupid stunts or impressing girls? What the hell is up with that? Why can't someone just realize that all that matters is someone to talk to and to be a really good friend. Why does it always have to be some kind of game, why can't a guy just view me as a friend. Am I not good enough to have as a friend? Is my body all there is to me?"_

His tail stops wagging abruptly, hurt washing over him by the exasperated tone of her inner-voice, the sharpness of her thoughts, making them almost taste bitter in his mouth. Hurt by her thinking the skills he wants to impress her with are stupid, that his wanting to impress her is stupid, of her not recognizing how he does see her as his friend, that he does want to talk with her. All the time. About everything and nothing, to never stop, even going as far as having her constantly chatter like Seth. He wants that, and other things too. Why is it wrong that he wants more too? _His girlfriend...Isn't she that already? Wasn't that, the night... wasn't that what it all meant?_

He can't stop the noises, the whimpering whining, his wolfish voicing of his hurt emotions. His pain magnifying when she turns her head away from his tries to gently tongue her, by his way of trying to make her understand that he doesn't want to hurt her, that he wants everything for her that she wishes for. That he won't push, if she doesn't like that. Doesn't she like when he licks her muzzle? Why doesn't she like it?

His heart ache seems to plant itself in her body too.

"_It's not that...It's just.." _she mumbles in her mind, turning her head back, butting her nose against his, a forgiveness and an apology at the same time, which immediately makes his tongue start working again, a bit slower, little less desperate, more cautious this round.

"_I, Jake, I... Look, we're _friends,_ Jake."_

His tail starts wagging again, hopeful. Of course they're friends. She's going to be his best friend, the only thing that makes him whole. His _girl_friend. His heart, his soul, his everything.

"_Jake..."_ Her mind is chiding, stern almost, but also sad, which stabs at his heart painfully, until he manages to pick out something in her emotions, something that has his head swimming from how he feels like his heart is too big for his chest, pumping too much blood around all of a sudden, never ever feeling this alive before. He's sure he can feel every emotion in the world by how wide his heart gets. She can't hide all of her emotions, no matter how she tries to block this one feeling, he can distinguish it out of the soft tune of her heart, responding to his affections, no matter how she tries to suppress it, deny it.

_You love me_, he wants to tell her, because that's what he hears in her heart. But before he gets it out, she turns her mind to the faint presence of the three wolves still on patrol.

"_Look, I need to get home. I want to visit dad, and I need time alone. To think about things. I just... we're friends, Jake. Friends."_

He nods, understands – partly - and holds his knowledge to himself, locking the amazement of his discovery in his heart. To safe-guard it, to examine it later when he's alone, to be in awe over the wonder of it. _She loves him. Just like he loves her. _To give those words to her later, when she asks for it, when she's ready.

"_I've got some extra clothes by the old tree-house, you can borrow some and then I'll walk you home,"_ he thinks, already feeling much better again. He'll take her home, drive her to the hospital if she wants him to, let her have alone time to think and then he'll call or visit her in the evening and _talk with her_. He'll talk with her the next day, and the next, and every day, until she gets hoarse from talking and still he'll listen. When she won't have a thing more to say, he'll sit with her in silence, and when she tires of that, then he'll finally kiss her and give her something new to talk about, like his name on her lips. His tail yet again wagging excitedly by his secret and well-hidden plans.

When he "accidentally" presses his body against hers when they trot towards the tree-house, she lets him, fully aware it's no accident at all, or at least she becomes aware when it keeps happening every other step. Now that he has found the tune to the wave-length of that emotion, he listens closely, noticing how, whenever he brushes against her, her heart spirals into a faster, unruly pace. It makes him breathless, and makes his heart pound too, electricity coursing through him every time their bodies touch. It's torture, and wonderfully exhilarating at the same time. He's more careful this time with his thoughts, trying to not show how excited he gets by these stolen touches, and by her minimal, almost invisible reactions. She claims to not like games, and he won't play any, but this is one he can't give up. And isn't she playing it too, by not telling him off? Even if she's denying it all. Denying any knowledge of what they're doing right now.

Soon they reach their old tree-house, one built by her father, with the help of most of the kids their age on the rez, a tree-house he once imagined moving into as a kid, with her.

She laughs, sounding genuinely happy again. _"I love this house. I remember how you and Embry and Quil always used to sneak out here, trying to spy on me and your sisters when we were camping here in the summer. We could always scare Embry and Quil off, but you were always so stubborn and refused to leave, no matter what Rach and Becca threatened you with, always sneaking your way into our sleep-overs. You've must've been the most stubborn kid in the world."_

He laughs too, remembering all those happy childhood memories, like sharing a sleeping-bag with Leah.

"_You were just as stubborn as me, if not even more. Still are."_ He grins, and steps ahead of her, shifting to human form on the fly, so she won't catch how he thinks she right now is _stubbornly_ in denial, claiming they're only friends, when they're already so much more, how he's hers and she is his – he's never been as sure as when he's thinking back on the ceremony, thinking of the emotion he caught in her heart and how she stubbornly tries to hide it, deny it. It's there and it's true.

He's climbing up the tree, not embarrassed about being naked in front of her. Not anymore. Actually he's getting quite thrilled by it. He's fast up the tree, and sure she can only see his backside, if she's looking, which he hopes she is, even if she will pretend that she's not. And yes, he did hear that she gets annoyed by games, did listen to it, and doesn't think any of this really is a game, because his heart, his spirit is at stake. But still he can't help but want her to look at his body. He knows from his sisters fawning over movie stars and male models that girls do look at men's bodies and fantasize about them, maybe just as much as he fantasizes about women – Leah to be exact – and the thought of her eying him covertly makes his body react, face flush, breath become shallow and his cock start to harden.

By now he's already inside the tree-house, his pulse soaring, excited. This non-game much more thrilling than for instance watching porn ever was, the thought of her looking at him such a turn-on, and even more so imagining that she likes what she saw, that she might think about it later, fantasize about _him, his body_. These thoughts swirling in his mind as he finds his cut-offs and then throws down his t-shirt and sweatpants to her.

The shimmer in the air tells him that she has shifted, and it's not his fault that there are big gaps between the boards of the tree-house, and that the bushes behind which Leah is dressing aren't enough to hide her beautiful figure. God, she's everything he desires, has ever dreamed of. Even when he can only see her from the side, it's the most beautiful and the sexiest thing he has ever witnessed. He can't get enough of admiring her. The perfect roundness of her ass making him bite his lip from not groaning out loud at seeing her bend over to pull the sweatpants on, his eyes following the womanly smoothness of her thighs as her hands pull the pants up, until they reach the fascinating curve of her hip, his eyes tracing it up to the slimness of her waist, lingering on the swell of her breast, just in time to touch the slenderness of her shoulder, before the t-shirt covers that, her breasts, stomach, but still he can admire. The delicacy of her neck, her chin that would fit perfectly between his thumb and his index finger, her slightly parted full lips he's dying to taste, her lashes like feathers over her eyes, that he wants nothing more than to stare into, for all eternity, to discover all the secrets she hides in her soul. Everything he ever wants to touch, to feel against his hands, her softness against his much harder body, to marvel at the contrast between them. Between male and female, between him and her.

"Okay, I'm ready," she calls to him, making him draw a sharp breath, because he's not ready to go down right now. He needs a moment to calm down, or a cold shower, ice-cold. _Oh great spirits_, why does he always get in this situation? And he really wants to walk her home.

"Just a minute!" He tries to make his voice sound normal, to hide the pained squeak in it. Drawing sharp breaths, trying to think of something else, like Quil's Granny in her underwear which he had the misfortune of witnessing last week.

"What's taking you so long?" she exclaims impatiently and he hears how she starts her climb upwards.

Quickly he struggles to button his cut-offs, and god it's uncomfortable, smothering and downright painful. By the time Leah's head emerges in the opening to the tree-house he's sitting with his knees drawn up and pretends to be looking through old comic magazines that are still lying around, trying to level his breathing, to hide the flushness of his face.

She raises an eye-brow and shakes her head. "You're worse than Seth. He's always shouting 'just a minute' when called to dinner and then you go up there to check what the hell is taking so long and then he's busy reading comic books in his room. Blind and deaf to the world."

Well Seth might be blind and deaf to the world, but he's painfully aware of Leah, her voice, the way she looks and now _in his clothes_, her smell, now even better when mixed with the smell of him through his t-shirt.

There's silence, and he can't, literally can't, move right now.

"Jake..." She hesitates, squirms, eyes lowered, and he wants to reach out and hold her, but gets distracted when she licks her lips, and then how her eyes, once she lifts her gaze to his, pierce him, making his stomach clench, and him having to shift, because his wanting her is driving him crazy.

"About earlier... I really want us to be friends. I... You're important to me, and I think we could be great friends.. Like a team, you know. Like... I don't know, we could work together. I really don't wanna have Sam ordering me around, or ordering Seth around for that matter, and if we team-up and support each other, I think the council might see that it doesn't have to be Sam leading us, that they could see that Sam doesn't know best..."

He's staring at her unblinkingly, drowning in her gaze, and ever word is precious to him. Important in the way his father's words are.

"I... Why don't you think about it, and... We could talk later, when you have a chance to think about it. I know Sam's going to try something at the next council meeting. You and I, we could be strong together, support each other, and shit like that. You don't have to decide right now, but I know you don't like Sam's way of leading either. Two voices are stronger than one, and we could be a really good team, like when we were kids." She finishes off, smiling almost a little insecurely – very unlike Leah - like she thinks he might say no to anything she'll suggest, to a suggestion _like this_, when it's one of the greatest ideas he's ever heard.

Before he has time to tell her that, she's already moving. Closer to him.

"Alright, talk to you later." She breathes out, goose-bumps breaking out where her breath touches his skin, and then her lips connect with his cheek. He almost cums that moment, her hot breath over his skin, the soft, warm and slightly moist touch of her lips, and her scent so close and inviting. If he were not beyond astonished and struggling hard to keeps his focus to not embarrass himself, he surely would've pulled her across his lap, crushed her under him, never let her go.

He feels his pulse pound in his ears, almost drowning the quiet fall when she jumps down from the tree-house, her soft footfall when she sprints away towards her home. He listens closely, straining his hearing until he can hear her opening her front door, only then letting himself fall back against the hard floor of the tree-house, when he knows she's safely in her own home. Only then his hand finding the spot where she touched him with her lips, his eyes closing at that miraculous feeling.

Slowly his hand moves south. He lies in the tree-house for a long time, even after he's found release for his desire, after he's ground out her name, loud, not caring if anyone might hear, because he can't stop the need to cry it out to the heavens. He wants her so bad. Needs her.

His cheek is still tingling, his heart radiant and he's sure he's glowing, because even if she denies it, she's his. She's his heart's, his soul's, his spirit's, and he'll make her see that he's hers too. However long it takes him.

* * *

**AN: **

**Jake: *To the reviewers* Don't worry, I won't forget about you, even when I'm focusing on Leah! I promise to visit each and every one of you, because you're all part of my heart too!**


End file.
